In Victory and Defeat
by Revan's Mask
Summary: After being beaten and humiliated by Kuvira at the Battle of Zaofu, Korra has hit rock bottom. Can Asami help her to rebuild her shattered psyche in time to save Republic City? Pseudo Omegaverse; please read all warnings/notes inside.
1. Chapter 1

**So, before starting this particular story, a few notes are in order:**

 **1\. This is an Omegaverse story, but only sort of. Some of the usual features of that setting that don't appeal to me, like knotting and heat cycles, will be absent. In this universe, A/B/O is more of a chi thing than a hormonal one. Alphas have a sort of dominant aura, and Omegas a submissive one, which enhance attraction between them, and can trigger physical changes to facilitate mating. Betas have a more neutral aura, and can respond to either other type, but generally do so less strongly. If two Alphas or two Omegas are the ones having sex, well, you'll find out more about that soon enough. Other details about this stuff will be mentioned as relevant, and feel free to ask in the comments if you have any questions.**

 **2\. There's no full-on non-con here, but the first chapter is definitely a bit dub-con, in addition to the general dubiousness of the Omegaverse. (Though it's a bit less dubious in my version, I think) It will also get extremely smutty.  
**

 **3\. I'd like to share a bit of credit/blame for this thing with my two periodic collaborators: AmityN7 for suggesting a Korra/Kuvira hate sex scene set after the Battle of Zaofu, and Rae D Magdon, who's own Korra Omegaverse stories helped inspire this one, and who gave me encouragement.**

 **4\. I know I'm a terrible person for writing this. You don't have to tell me. Other feedback, whether praise or criticism, is most welcome.**

* * *

None of this was supposed to be happening. After her time training with Toph, after bending the remaining mercury out of her body, after her visions at the banyan-grove tree, Korra was supposed to better. The Avatar was supposed to be back. After three long, terrible years, she could return to Republic City and put all of the weakness and self-doubt she'd suffered behind her.

And then she had challenged Kuvira for the freedom of Zaofu, and everything had fallen apart once more. Her only consolation was that no one else was there to see her humiliation. Korra had thought it was a good idea to move their duel to a more private place, a field away from the sight of the opposing armies. After all, once she won, she didn't want Kuvira to renege on their deal and just order her forces to attack anyway.

Of course, things hadn't worked out that way. The battle had begun with Kuvira beating her up pretty thoroughly, forcing her to go into the Avatar state in order to keep pace. That had given her the upper hand for a while, and she'd been on the verge of victory when it happened again. Kuvira had morphed into the shadow version of Korra's self that had haunted her for the last three years and she'd frozen.

The rock Korra had been bending slipped out of her grip, and she collapsed to her knees shaking. That old fear was gripping her again, and every time she tried to summon back her chi and resume the battle, it slipped away. She couldn't even get back to her feet, let alone keep fighting.

Kuvira had been knocked to the ground earlier, but she still had more than enough strength to take advantage of Korra's paralysis. The metalbender rose, and with a flick of her hand, a pair of steel manacles flew out of her pocket and wrapped around Korra's wrists before moving upwards, suspending her in midair. Korra was now completely helpless, and her own decision ensured that no one was coming to rescue her.

"I knew you were weak," Kuvira sneered, and with a further gesture, the manacles rocketed downwards, slamming Korra into the ground. The shock of the impact ran through her body, but her mind barely acknowledged the pain. The crushing sense of failure was far worse, a weight laying on her chest she couldn't seem to free herself of. Everything she'd tried to get rid of it had been for nothing.

Kuvira walked towards her, slowly, confident in her victory. There was an arrogant sneer etched on her flat features, and the force of her chi, always potent, had become overwhelming. "Now, what was it that we agreed to?" she asked. "That the loser would submit to the winner?"

Korra barely managed to choke out her, "Yes."

"Well then, submit to me."

Kuvira gestured at her pants and the metal buckle unfastened, making Korra's eyes widen. "That wasn't what I meant," she protested. This had been about Zaofu, not sex.

"No, but it's what you want, isn't it?" Kuvira took another stop forward. Her eyes were cold but compellingly intense at the same time. "I can feel you responding to me already."

Korra could only gape in shock as she realized that Kuvira was right. Already, she could see the tell-tale bulge forming at the front of the self-appointed Great Uniter's pants, while despite feeling the unwelcome stirrings of arousal in her lower body, there was no sign of her own change taking place. Korra knew that if two Alphas came together, the weaker of them would bend to the other's chi, accepting their dominance, but she still couldn't believe it was happening to her.

 _I'm the Avatar, THE Alpha. It should be her acceding to me, not the other way around. Just how low have I fallen?_

"Tell me you don't want this and I'll stop," Kuvira taunted, her words playing on Korra's own doubts. "Tell me you don't want to let go of all the responsibilities you've been failing to fulfill and let someone else take control of you."

"I, I don't…" Korra stammered, trying to blurt out a denial, but nothing more would come. If after everything she'd done, she was still such an incompetent mess, then maybe Kuvira was right. She was utterly empty, all of her hopes and plans smashed to pieces, and Kuvira's offer was horribly compelling, holding out the promise of a reprieve, however temporary, from her own head. Why shouldn't she take it? A part of her hated that she was saying the words, but she said them anyway. "I do."

"That's what I thought."

With a single, rough motion, Kuvira pulled off her pants and plain, grey underwear together, tossing them on the ground. Underneath, her clit had already swollen, partially transformed even before she took it in her hand. A few rough tugs and the transformation was complete. A thick cock now jutted out from between the other woman's legs, one Korra couldn't help starring at as it reached its full length. She had never seen the process taking place on anyone but herself. After all, she was the Avatar, and her dominance was simply natural. A Beta like Mako had accommodated her, rather than the other way around. But that was then. Now, as Kuvira drew next to her, Korra's eyes were lowered as she prepared to do whatever was demanded of her.

"Get to it," Kuvira snapped, and when the tip of her cock was pressed up against Korra's lips, she opened them, allowing the head to slide inside. She wanted to loathe the feeling a lot more than she did. The head of Kuvira's erection was warm, and soaked with the thick, potent smell of her arousal. Korra could feel her body responding to it, her own clit harder than it had been in a very long time and yet not shifting either. It felt _right_ to be giving in to the other Alpha's power, and even though that thought scared her, the fear wasn't enough to make her stop.

Kuvira wasn't being particularly patient, tangling a gloved hand in Korra's hair and pushing the next few inches of herself past her lips. Korra had never done this before, but she'd had it done for her, and she tried to copy that example, sucking on the hot flesh buried inside her mouth.

Her inexperienced attempts were still enough to make Kuvira groan, her grip tightening on Korra's hair as she hissed, "There you go. Suck my cock like a good little Omega."

In truth, Korra didn't quite know how to. The several inches she'd already taken were nearly enough to choke her and her hands were still cuffed behind her back, leaving them unable to help out. All she could do was bob up and down on Kuvira's erection, feeling her throb inside her mouth but not actually being able to get her off.

"Seems like you need more practice."

 _She's right. I can't even do this properly._ Her cheeks burning with shame, Korra tried to relax her throat. She was attempting to take the other Alpha deeper inside, but in spite of her best efforts, she gagged.

"Breathe through your nose," Kuvira told her, her words far more of an order than a suggestion.

Breathing exercises were something Korra was familiar with, and after a few seconds, the fear that she would choke on the shaft receded, replaced with only a mild discomfort. Unfortunately, that only encouraged Kuvira to go harder. A second hand strengthened her grip on Korra's head, and she started thrusting into her mouth with greater vigor.

Korra's lips were getting sore from the rough treatment, and her jaw ached with the effort she was making, but even worse was the fact that some part of her was taking pleasure in Kuvira's growing enjoyment of her ministrations. Her cock was starting to leak fluid now, drops of her arousal dripping down in Korra's mouth. It was a heavy, salty flavor, and Korra ran her tongue over the head, taking in more of it.

 _I'm not good for anything else now. I might as well be good at this._

"Don't stop, Avatar." Kuvira's voice was low and dangerous, lust overwhelming her. Her hips pumped frantically and Korra had to struggle to keep her mouth on the cock driving in and out of her. After a few clumsy attempts, she was able to catch up with the harsher rhythm, even managing to lash the head with her tongue a couple more times. It was starting to swell and suddenly Kuvira went still, her hands locking Korra's head in place as she exploded. The first hot spurts of her release poured into Korra's throat, the drops she'd had before now turning into a flood. She had to struggle to swallow it all down, but not for long.

Without warning, Kuvira yanked herself out of Korra's mouth. She positioned the spasming cock in front of her face, wrapping her fist around the shaft and jerking it harshly. With each pull, fresh streams of her release shot out across Korra's face, covering it in sticky fluid. A part of her was disgusted with Kuvira, or with herself, she could scarcely tell anymore, but she didn't muster any objections either, just closing her eyes while the metalbender finished stroking herself off.

When she opened them again, Kuvira was still standing over her. Her cock had only drooped a little bit and a smug smile was now etched on her hard features. With one gloved hand, she cupped Korra's cheek, while with the other, she brushed off some of the streaks she'd left on her face.

"It did seem an appropriate look for you," she said cruelly, "But I don't feel like dealing with the mess later on."

"Later on?" Korra asked blankly, finally able to speak now that there wasn't a cock lodged in her mouth.

"When I fuck you," Kuvira replied, speaking slowly as if Korra was very stupid. "That is what you want, isn't it? I can sense how badly you need it."

Korra wanted to protest that wasn't true, but what was the point? She'd already accepted Kuvira's dominance when she sucked her off, and the metalbender was right: her body was crying out for this. It didn't care how she got it, she just wanted some pleasure, anything to cover up the emptiness in her soul. "Go on then," she said flatly, "Do it."

Without a word, Kuvira pulled off her soiled gloves and tossed them on the ground before raising her hands once more. The cuffs around Korra's wrists released themselves, but she didn't have a chance to appreciate her freedom. Suddenly, the metal flowed up over her body, slicing apart her clothes. Kuvira was ruthlessly efficient, and in only a matter of seconds, Korra was left clad in nothing but her underwear.

Another twist of Kuvira's hand and the metal wrapped around Korra's waist, forming a sort of belt that jerked her upwards, suspending her slightly above the ground again. The other Alpha took hold of her panties, tugging them down. With one hand, Kuvira reached up, squeezing Korra's breast, while the other caressed the curve of her hip. The touches were rough, but they were also skilled, and Korra couldn't stop herself from moaning.

Encouraged by the sound, Kuvira bent down to take a breast in her mouth. It was no loving kiss though, the metalbender biting the soft flesh firmly enough to make Korra cry out in a mixture of pleasure and pain. Kuvira moved up along the orb, tugging on the nipple with her teeth, while her hand pinched the other one. They'd been embarrassingly erect even before being touched, and by the time Kuvira straightened up once more, they were diamond-hard reminders of how turned on Korra had become.

Kuvira's hand slid down to her sex, and after a few passes of her fingers, the tips were sticky with arousal. "It's like I thought," she taunted as she brought them up to her lips for a taste, "You're no Avatar anymore, just a soaked Water Tribe whore."

Korra couldn't even manage a protest, instead just sighing pathetically. She was entirely enveloped in the corona of Kuvira's chi, and her sex quivered with the anticipation of being filled by her. Kuvira's fingers pressed against her entrance, and Korra tensed. No one else had ever been inside of her like this, but though she might have been tight, she was still wet enough to accept the digits without difficulty.

As soon as they were inside of her, Korra's body clenched down, not wanting to lose the feeling it had surrendered so much to get. It wasn't easy for Kuvira to start fingering her, but once she did, it was clear she knew what she was doing. As she slid her fingers along the sensitive spot on Korra's front wall, the Avatar's hips pushed back against her thrusts, silently willing her to go deeper.

Kuvira grinned wolfishly, clearly pleased with the effect she was having. "That didn't take long. You may not be as wet as an Omega, but you're certainly more than tight enough."

Korra hated that she appreciated the praise, but that didn't change anything, and a few seconds later, she could only whimper when Kuvira's fingers were withdrawn. She didn't have long to miss them though. Kuvira's bending took a hold of the metal band around Korra's waist, using it to guide her onto her waiting erection.

The tip pressed against Korra's entrance, and she bit her lip at the sudden pressure. The fingers had gone in easily enough, but the fat head of Kuvira's cock was another matter. The stretch it caused burned with a mixture of pleasure and pain, but Korra found that she still wanted it. Whatever else it meant, at least this was making her feel something.

Her body slowly opened up and the head was able to push all the way inside of her, followed swiftly by the rest of Kuvira's cock, the metalbender taking only a single, powerful stroke to sheath herself all the way inside of Korra. The sense of fullness was overwhelming, and her hands clutched at Kuvira's shoulders, still covered by her metal guards, as she tried to adjust to it.

The metalbender's hands took hold of Korra's ass, pulling her down harder onto her cock as she thrust in and out relentlessly. Kuvira seemed heedless of anything except taking her own pleasure, but the rough treatment was still having an effect on Korra. Heat was spreading through her body, waves of pleasure that seemed to blot out rational thought. Korra needed this, to lose herself in what she was feeling no matter how much she despised the woman making her feel it.

Kuvira had angled their bodies so that every time she slammed inside, her pelvis would grind against Korra's clit, and by now the point was so hard it was painful. For three long years, Korra had been too weak and too depressed to mate with anyone, and now, her body was trying to make up for lost time. All she could do was babble incoherently, a voice that couldn't have been her own pleading with Kuvira to take her harder and deeper, even while the metalbender placed more bites along the sensitive skin of Korra's neck.

"Whatever you say," Kuvira replied mockingly, but instead of doing so, she pulled out, leaving Korra achingly empty at the loss of fullness.

The other Alpha lowered her down to the ground, using the band to roll her over. A part of Korra knew how pathetic she must look, naked, on her hands and knees in front of the woman who had just defeated her, but she didn't care. She needed to come so badly that it was drowning out everything else, and she mumbled, "Fuck me more. Please."

Strong fingers took hold of her hips and when Kuvira slammed back into her, Korra couldn't help but groan with relief. The metalbender had been right; she was able to go even deeper in this position, her every thrust sending shockwaves through Korra's entire being. It was hard to hold herself up, especially after the beating she'd taken earlier, but even as Korra's head slumped down, the hands holding her refused to let her fall over, instead pulling her back against Kuvira's pelvis.

"Oh, Spirits," Korra groaned, "It feels…" She couldn't even finish the sentence. Kuvira was going so hard inside of her, and as her cock pushed against her inner walls, Korra could feel the last threads of her self-control snapping.

"Go on, Korra," Kuvira ordered. "Come for me. I feel how much you want it."

Korra felt as if she was under the metalbender's sway, her voice utterly irresistible. "Oh, fuck," she muttered, and then words failed her entirely. Her body shuddered and she screamed, her climax ripping out of her with terrible force. She'd never come with anything thicker than a couple of her own fingers inside of her, and the feeling was incredibly intense. Her pussy rippled around Kuvira's cock over and over again, and the contractions pushed the other Alpha over the edge as well.

Kuvira thrust even harder than before, burying herself all the way to the hilt, and then she stopped moving. A primal grunt came out of her throat as she released thick streams of her come inside of Korra. Unlike when she'd fucked her mouth, Kuvira didn't pull out this time, inside pumping out more and more fluid, until Korra couldn't hold it all. Hot trickles ran down her inner thighs, even while Kuvira pinched Korra's clit, deftly squeezing it between her fingers.

The pressure prolonged Korra's own climax, or perhaps pushed her into another one; she could no longer tell the difference. Above her, she was dimly aware of Kuvira's sighs, but she didn't care how self-satisfied the other Alpha sounded now. All she could do was shudder and whimper, her body shaking until she had nothing left to give.

Only then did Kuvira pull out, her cock leaking a final few drops of her come onto Korra's upturned ass. Her hands let go as well, and Korra collapsed to the ground. Whatever energy she'd had left was gone, and she buried her face in the grass, unwilling to look up at Kuvira.

The other woman was not so slack. She turned away from Korra, pulling back on her pants before tossing off a final taunt. "Well, that was fun," she said, "But now I have a city to take. You don't seem in fit shape to come back with me and admit defeat, but I suppose that when I'm the only one who returns, everyone will know who won this battle."

 _She's not even going to take me prisoner_ , Korra realized, _But why should she bother? I'm no threat to her or anyone else_. Now that the fog of lust had lifted, she felt even worse than before. There was nothing left for her but shame. There she was, laying on the ground, battered and spent, her skin streaked with the come of a woman she hated. _And I let her do it. I wanted her to do it. I threw away the last shred of my dignity, just for an orgasm._ All she wanted in that moment was to disappear. To just lay there and vanish even more thoroughly than she'd done the last time.

And then Kuvira spoke once more. "After this," she said casually, "All I'll have to do is take back Republic City, and the Earth Empire will be whole once more."

 _Take back Republic City?!_ Korra could hear the sound of Kuvira's footsteps trailing off into the distance, but though her body remained slumped on the ground, her mind had snapped to attention. As low as she felt, disappearing wasn't an option anymore. People she still cared about were in Republic City, and as badly as Korra had failed them already, as useless as she felt, they had to be warned.


	2. Chapter 2

Once the sound of Kuvira's footsteps had faded safely away, Korra pulled herself up onto her hands and knees, groaning at how much her muscles ached. Between the fighting and the fucking, she was thoroughly sore, but at that moment, her physical pain was the least of her worries. As she staggered the rest of the way to her feet, more of Kuvira's come dripped down her thighs, and Korra felt a fresh wave of disgust wash over her.

Only moments before, her climax had seemed like the most urgent thing in the world, but now that it was over, she realized just how temporary the relief had been and how much the lingering, pleasant tingle in her sex had cost her. She was alone with her failure once more, only now she had an extra helping of self-loathing thrown in for good measure. Kuvira was right, she was no Avatar anymore, just a useless whore.

 _No. Stop that_ , some still-defiant part of her insisted. _It doesn't matter what you did right now. Now you have to get to Republic City._

She suspected that Jinora and the rest would come looking for her once Kuvira returned to Zaofu alone, but there was no way she could let them find her this way. Filthy, naked, and reeking of sex was bad enough, but to have Tenzin's kids see her in that state…

She wished Naga was there to carry her home, but her beloved pet was just one more friend she had abandoned to wallow in pointless self-pity. No, she'd have to get back to Republic City under her own power, but Korra wasn't exactly ready to get moving. For one thing, she was naked and while a quick inspection showed that her panties were intact, the rest of her clothes were a lost cause.

 _Maybe there's some secret cloth-bending technique I could use to fix them. Of course, I'd probably just mess that up too._

With a sigh, Korra pulled her underwear back on, trying her best to ignore the damp spot that formed on the fabric when she did. Right then, her humiliation didn't matter. What she needed to do was act. Feeling things could come later, after she had warned Republic City that Kuvira was coming.

What she really wanted before she got going was a way to clean herself off, but the barren soil of the Earth Kingdom didn't offer much in the way of water or even plants to bend it from, and so she made do with the remnants of her shirt and pants. The shredded fabric wiped away the worst of the mess, but Korra still felt soiled, by Kuvira in a way, but really by herself. She was the one who had said yes, who had begged to be fucked. Who's fault was this, really?

Trying to stave off her descent back into guilt, Korra took a deep breath and closed her eyes, reaching deep within herself. If the power of her chi was usually a bonfire, all she could feel then were embers, but at least there was something there. The complete paralysis that had trapped her at the end of the battle was gone, and as long as she didn't try to go into the Avatar state again, she should be able to bend at least a little bit.

Reaching out with her powers, she took hold of the boulder she'd been riding on while fighting Kuvira. It felt so much heavier than before, and Korra grunted at the effort of just pulling it off of the ground. Actually using it as a platform to fly on was out of the question in her current state. Of course, she realized, if she wasn't going to try and crush anyone with the thing, it didn't need to be quite so big.

Korra squeezed of her hand and the rock split into several pieces. A little bending later and she had a flattered stone disk that she could sit relatively comfortably on. At least in theory. In practice, getting into the lotus position brought a fresh round of aches, and Korra grimaced, as much at what the pain reminded her of as at the discomfort itself.

The air currents were slow in responding to her call, but after a few seconds, the rock started to lift off of the ground. It was a strain, keeping herself aloft, but Korra refused to give up. It was pathetic that this little bit of bending was so taxing, but that fact didn't change what she had to do. As many times as she'd already failed, the thought of one more was too much to bear. She might not be good for much anymore, but she could still do this.

The two days it had taken Korra to get back to Republic City had been miserable ones. Fatigue had forced her to stop more often than she'd wanted to, but when she'd tried to actually sleep, what rest she'd gotten had been fitful at best. The nightmares of her past foes had returned with a vengeance, now joined by Kuvira's sneering contempt, mocking Korra for her weakness and her pathetic submission.

While she was awake, she'd simply been numb. Thinking about her failures hurt too much, and so she had just tried to stay focused on the road ahead. If she let herself feel the weight of everything that had gone wrong, she'd collapse, and as low as she'd fallen, something inside of her still wasn't willing to give up. Her only consolations were that she'd found a stream to dunk herself in, and that she'd managed to swipe a bathrobe off of a laundry line a day or so back, so at least she wasn't arriving naked and smeared with come.

By the time Korra finally arrived at the outskirts of the city, she was utterly exhausted. She landed the rock platform in a small field, freeing her chi from the impossible burden having to keep it aloft any longer. Of course, that meant that she had to make the rest of the journey on foot. Every step she took was a struggle. She hadn't eaten anything but a few berries since she'd left Zaofu, and her legs burned with fatigue, but she wasn't giving up. Not so close to the end of her journey.

Republic City was mostly deserted at that hour, which she was grateful for. She couldn't have born the inevitable gawkers starring at the Avatar, asking what had happened to her. Solitude gave her at least a measure of peace, as well as a chance to figure out where exactly she was going.

Air Temple Island was the first place that sprang to mind; after all, Tenzin was the best person to both believe her warning about Kuvira's attack and make President Raiko believe it too. But his kids had probably made it back to the city by now, and she didn't have the strength to deal with them. Not when she'd have to explain why she hadn't tried to meet up with them after fighting Kuvira.

That left her other friends, but Bolin had been with the earth army, and she wasn't sure if Mako would be living in the same apartment as he had been three years earlier. Besides, her ex-boyfriend was another person she didn't like feel like facing. Not after having disappeared without a word for all that time. He'd be angry with her for that, and if he figured out what she had let Kuvira do to her… No, Mako wasn't a good choice either.

It had to be Asami. The engineer almost certainly still called the Sato mansion home, and she was the one who had been taking care of Naga as well. Her dog was one friend who wouldn't judge her, wouldn't care what she'd done. And maybe Asami wouldn't do that either. Despite all the drama over Mako between them, Asami had always been kind to her, and right then, Korra badly needed some friendly kindness.

 _Friendship isn't the only reason you want to see her again_ , a little voice inside of Korra teased her, but she pushed it away. No Omega could want someone as weak as she was, and she wasn't going to torture herself by pretending otherwise. Still, the Sato mansion was where she headed, and as Korra ambled her way through the streets of Republic City, she found that she could muster at least a glimmer of enthusiasm at the prospect.

* * *

Asami Sato rolled over in her bed, tugging at the covers in a vain attempt to make herself more comfortable. She'd been laying there for more than an hour, but though sleep refused to come, she knew that had very little to do with positions or sheets.

Tenzin's children had returned to Republic City that afternoon, and the news they brought could hardly have been worse. Yes, they had found Korra, but instead of bringing her back with them, all of them had gone on to Zaofu instead. The metal city had come under siege by Kuvira's army, and after negotiations had failed, Korra had challenged Kuvira to single combat. The two women had then gone off to have their duel in private, but only one of them come back.

All Kuvira had said afterwards was that she had beaten the Avatar, and without Korra there to prove otherwise, the city's morale had crumbled. Zaofu had surrendered with little further resistance, leaving the "Great Uniter" in possession of the entirety of the old Earth Kingdom. But that wasn't the worst of it. The worst was that, even after a search by the three young airbenders, Korra had still not been found. All they had turned up were some shredded clothes and the debris left behind by an intense battle, but of the Avatar herself, there was no sign.

 _Is she dead?_

That simple, horrible question had been clawing at Asami's heart ever since she'd heard Jinora's story. There was no body, true, but nor was there any indication that Korra was alive, and the thought that she'd died alone and been buried by her killer beneath some rocky plain was too much to bear. It had been hard enough for Asami to watch her leave three years earlier, and now, to think that there would never be another chance, that there was so much Asami would never be able to say…

No, there was no way she was going to be able to sleep, and accepting that fact, she brushed aside the tears that were starting to form in her eyes and rose from the bed. She picked up her robe from the chair she'd left it on, and slipped into the silk garment before heading over to her writing desk. A stack of mail she'd neglected amid the day's troubles waited for her there, but after flipping distractedly through a few invoices from corporate suppliers and an unsolicited idea for a new kind of shock gauntlet, she set the rest of it back down. It all felt so trivial and stupid that she couldn't make herself care.

 _I would have gone with you if you'd let me, Korra. Why did you have to leave? Why didn't you come back? What's happened to you now?_

Asami rose from her desk, shaking her head in frustration. Though she and Mako had spent hours discussing the situation, they had gotten nowhere on a plan. The whole area around Zaofu was under Kuvira's control now, and even if they could go there, what would they do? Just walk around, calling out for Korra? Asami knew she had to do something, but it had to be smarter than that.

Asami was just starting to consider seeing if Mako was still awake to talk further when the phone rang, jolting her out of her agitation. "Hello?" she asked tentatively, not sure of who might be calling her at that hour.

"Miss Sato," came the crisp voice at the other end, "This is Targin at the front gate. I'm sorry to wake you, but there's a woman outside. She wouldn't give me her name, but she insists you two know each other. She's…" He hesitated, deciding how to phrase his next words. "She's not in very good shape, Ma'am. Seems quite a bit worse for the wear if you know what I mean."

Asami hesitated, not sure what to make of this new development. Her first thought was that this was just some crazy person, perhaps someone who still held a grievance against her company, but these were strange times. Maybe this really was important. Besides, at that point, almost any distraction would be welcome.

"Hold her there," she told Targin. "I'll be right down."

Throwing a grey overcoat on over her robe and slipping her feet into the closest available shoes, Asami took her private elevator down to the ground floor of the mansion, exiting through the garage so as not to disturb Mako's family. The night air wasn't particularly cold for that time of year, but as she walked, she felt a chill run through her none the less. _Has something else new and terrible happened? What else can go wrong today?_

As she approached the estate's gate, she didn't immediately recognize the woman standing behind it. She was shorter than Asami, her stature reduced further by the way she was slumped against the rail gate. The only clothing she wore was an ugly brown bathrobe that had clearly seen better days. Asami could see that she had short, chestnut hair, but her face was turned away, looking down at the ground.

"Hello," she began, "I'm told you wanted to see me."

At the sound of her voice, the woman looked up, and in the light of the gatepost, Asami could at last see her clearly. Her hair was cut very differently, and her face was lined with pain, but no matter how much she had changed, Asami could never have failed to recognize her.

"Korra," she called out, her earlier formality forgotten as her heart swelled with relief, "You're alive."

Korra didn't say anything, but when she met Asami's gaze, it was clear that she was on the verge of collapse. Those beautiful, blue eyes were dull and bloodshot, filled with an anguish that melted away the joy Asami had just been feeling.

"Targin," she shouted frantically, "Open the gate."

Seconds later, the metal barrier slid open, and without its support, the other woman tumbled to her knees. Asami rushed towards her friend, as she reached her, Korra finally spoke. Her voice was barely above a whisper, but her every word burned in Asami's ears.

"Asami," she begged, "Help me. Please."


	3. Chapter 3

Korra hated how weak her pleas for help must have sounded, but after running on empty for so long, her body was simply refusing to go on any further alone. Asami knelt down next to her, clutching Korra's shoulders as she did. The engineer's hands were warm and strong, and as she leaned in closer, a strand of her long, dark hair fell across Korra's cheek.

"Of course I'll help you," she said, brushing her fingers along Korra's skin as she examined her injuries. She stopped when they encountered a bruise on her neck. "Did Kuvira do this?"

Korra only nodded, wincing away from the contact. She didn't trust herself to actually talk about the battle without giving away too much.

"I'm so sorry." Asami pulled back her hand, but though it might have just been her fatigued-addled imagination, it seemed to Korra that it lingered for a second longer than necessary. "Do you need a doctor?"

Korra shook her head. None of her injuries were more than bumps and bruises. At least the ones on the outside. "No. Just some food and water," she replied. "And sleep."

Asami took Korra at her word for now. The engineer helped her back to her feet, letting her lean on her shoulder as they started to walk towards the house. Its lights glowed in the distance, offering a promise of rest that Korra tried to take strength from.

"Do you require any help, Ma'am," the man at the gate asked when they passed his booth.

"No, thank you, Targin," Asami replied. "We'll be all right."

As they made their way up the path, Korra tried her best to relax. She knew hard questions were coming, but for now, she was soothed by Asami's presence. The Omega's aura was soft and comfortable, a calming presence that was nothing like the hard push of Kuvira's chi.

"Mako will be relieved to see you too," Asami told her. "We've both been so worried ever since we heard about Zaofu."

 _Mako? Here? In the middle of the night?_ Korra's heart dropped in her chest. She had been sure that relationship was over and done with, but how could she blame them if it wasn't? It's not like she had any right to complain, after all. Maybe the two of them were better off together. "I didn't realize you and him…" she started to say.

Asami laughed. "No, it's not like that. I've just been letting his family live here since they left Ba Sing Se. They didn't have anywhere else to go and I have plenty of space. He stayed here with them tonight while we tried to figure out what to do next."

Korra wasn't sure why she sighed in relief; it's not like she had a chance with Asami either way. Still, the engineer did her the courtesy of not remarking on it. "Asami," she asked, "Can we… can we not see them tonight. I'm just so tired. In the morning, maybe?"

Sensing her distress, Asami's hand squeezed her shoulder a little bit tighter, providing reassurance even before she said, "Tomorrow is fine."

They made it back to the garage and onto the elevator that led up to Asami's private rooms without incident. Korra had been there before, back when she was first recovering from Zaheer's poison. As low as she'd felt at the time, she'd had faith that she'd be back to her old self soon enough. Little did she know how low she'd have fallen three years later.

The elevator doors slid open and Asami led her into the bedroom. The sheets there were disheveled, clearly slept in earlier that night. "I'm sorry," Korra said. "Looks like I woke you up."

"It's no trouble. I wasn't really sleeping anyway." Asami helped Korra down onto the mattress before settling into an overstuffed chair near the head of the bed. "Honestly, we thought you might be dead."

"Dead?" It might have been the fatigue slowing down Korra's brain, but she wasn't sure what Asami meant by that.

"After you didn't come back from your fight with Kuvira, Jinora thought the worst might've happened."

 _Oh Spirits, I didn't even think of that. I screwed up again. It's all I do these days._ "No, I was…" Her voice trailed off, and she slumped down on the bed, unwilling to look at Asami. She couldn't tell her that she hadn't met up with the airbenders because Kuvira had just fucked her stupid. Tears started to gather in her eyes at the thought of what a weak, pathetic mess she'd become.

"It's all right," Asami said gently. "You're obviously not dead. You said you were hungry; we've always got plenty of leftovers downstairs and I'll make us some tea."

Korra brushed her eyes dry. _Hold it together_ , she told herself. _You've embarrassed yourself enough already._ "Thank you. For everything."

Asami gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I'm just glad you're okay."

The engineer stood up to go and get their food, and Korra lay back in the bed, letting her sore muscles finally go slack. It had been a long time since she'd had anywhere this comfortable to rest, and while a good bed and good company weren't going to fix what was wrong with her, they did at least ease the pain.

* * *

Some fish rolls, rice, and a few pastries seemed like a good meal for a hungry Avatar, and as Asami carried them back upstairs, she hoped that the food would help to raise Korra's spirits. She suspected that her friend's weakness went beyond the physical though. Korra aura was usually so intense that it was almost visible, a brightness that emanated from the core of her being, but now it was muted and faint, even more than when she was first poisoned. And the way Korra was hesitating and stumbling over her words… All of it was troubling.

When she got back upstairs, Korra was curled up in the bed, half-asleep already, but the smell of the food was enough to make her perk up immediately. Asami handed her the tray along with a mug of tea, keeping only a smaller cup for herself.

Tossing off her coat, she returned to her chair and settled in. At the sight of Korra going to work on the meal, Asami permitted herself a smile. Even when she wasn't starving, Korra had always had quite the appetite, and the spectacle of her wolfing down the food with such gusto felt like a small bit of normalcy amid the night's strangeness.

"So, I'm sorry Naga wasn't here to greet you," she told Korra while the Avatar continued eating, "But don't worry, she's fine. She's on Air Temple Island right now, and I'm sure she she'll be thrilled to see you when you go there."

Her words brought fresh tears to Korra's eyes. "I missed her," she admitted sadly. "I didn't realize I would be leaving her for so long. Leaving all of you…"

Before today, a part of Asami had been mad at Korra for being gone for years with so little word, but whatever anger she had once felt was beyond her reach now, replaced with sympathy for her condition. It seemed as if all the fight had been drained out of Korra, leaving behind only regret and sorrow.

"You're back now," she offered. "And I'm glad to see you too." _Maybe more than you know,_ Asami added silently. Korra gave her a lopsided smile in reply, and for a instant, Asami caught a glimpse of the old, playful Avatar beneath the layers of hurt. It gave her hope. The last three years had given her a great deal of time to think about what she would say if she ever saw Korra again, but the way she had come back wasn't what Asami had pictured at all.

Regardless of her feelings though, now wasn't the time, not with how fragile Korra seemed, and so Asami decided to try and lighten the mood instead, asking, "So, where did that bathrobe come from anyway? It's not, uh, your usual style."

To her surprise, Korra seemed abashed by the question, hesitating before she answered. "I stole it," she mumbled. "My regular clothes got, um… They got destroyed. When I fought Kuvira."

"I see." Asami stood up and walked over to her closet, flipping through a few possibilities before picking out a plain, grey robe and holding it up for inspection. "Well, this should be a little cleaner and not quite so worn. It might be a bit long for you, but…"

"It's fine," Korra quickly insisted.

"If it doesn't fit, I can find something else."

"No, I'm sure it's great." Korra lifted a hand to cover her mouth as a sudden yawn escaped from her. "I think I just need to sleep, so if you can point me to a couch or whatever…."

Asami put the robe down on a chair by the bed. "Don't be silly, Korra. You were dead on your feet a few minutes ago. You'll stay here and I'll take one of the guest rooms."

Korra lowered her head. "You shouldn't be so good to me, Asami. I… I failed and now Kuvira is coming here, and I should've stopped her, but instead…."

"Kuvira is coming here?" Asami couldn't hide her surprise, even amid her concern for Korra. The fall of Zaofu had been bad news, but she'd assumed it marked the end of the "Great Uniter's" campaigns.

"She told me that when… when we were fighting. Republic City used to be part of the Earth Kingdom, so I guess she wants it back now that she's taken everything else. That's why I finally made myself come here. I had to tell people. I have to do something right for a change…"

Asami took a deep breath, trying to absorb the news. Things had just gotten a lot more complicated. This wasn't only about helping Korra anymore, and yet at the same time, the panicky edge in the Avatar's voice scared her as much as any approaching army.

"Well, then," she finally said, "We'll tell Tenzin about it in the morning. He can warn the president and the council. And in the meantime, you were right. You should get some sleep."

"Okay," Korra agreed tentatively. "I just wanted to…"

"I know." Korra hesitated, frozen by whatever war was taking place inside her head, and on impulse, Asami drew closer to her. A hug felt only natural, and as her arms wrapped around Korra, the other woman reciprocated. Her chi was still weak, but even though Asami didn't feel the overwhelming heat that being near a powerful Alpha could bring, there was still _something_ there. It felt right, having Korra's body up against her, to have her hair pressed against Asami's face, and she knew that she must be blushing. It had been so long since she'd truly felt a spark that…

 _No. Stop it_ , she chided herself. _You know it isn't the time to think about this._

It took a great deal of effort, but she was able to let Korra out of her arms and back down onto the bed. Whatever else it had meant, the hug had seemed to calm Korra's nerves, and when Asami said, "Good night, Korra," the Alpha just said it back before curling up.

Asami pulled the covers up over her body, and even before she left the room, she could hear Korra's breathing slow as she started to drift off to sleep. She wasn't sure that she'd be as successful. As happy as she was that Korra was alive and back in Republic City, her return had brought up so many new questions.

What exactly had happened during Korra's duel with Kuvira? Why hadn't Korra met up with Jinora and the others afterwards? Why had she been so hesitant when the shredded clothes came up? And just what had pushed Korra quite this low? Asami had a sinking feeling that the answers weren't going to be easy to hear, but no matter what the truth was, it would have to come in it's own time. Pushing Korra now would only make her shut down even more than she already had.

 _Be patient,_ Asami told herself. _Korra trusted you enough to come here. Hopefully, in time, she'll trust you a little bit further._

* * *

Korra wasn't sure how long she'd slept, but when she finally did awaken, she felt a bit more like a human being. Not a very competent human being, true, but food and rest had drawn her out of the dull, mechanical trance she'd spent most of the last few days stumbling around in. She could plan further ahead than just putting one foot in front of the other, and maybe string together more than a few mumbled words.

She'd need to be able to do that and more. Today, she would have to talk to all of the people she'd been avoiding, and she still didn't even know where to start.

Still, there was nothing she could do to avoid the conversations any longer, and so she made herself get out of bed, shucking off her tattered robe and replacing it with the far nicer one Asami had left out for her. The expensive fabric felt good against her still-bruised skin, and as she cinched it closed, Korra could still catch a hint of Asami's scent lingering there. Once, even the smell of such an attractive Omega might have been enough to make her clit strain with the first hints of transformation, but now, pleasant though the scent was, her body didn't react.

Sighing at her own weakness, Korra opened the door to Asami's bedroom and from down the hall, she heard the engineer called out, "I see you're finally awake, Korra. Come here; I have breakfast for us."

Her stomach grumbled in response, reminding Korra that she could definitely use more food, and she hurried to join Asami in a sitting room located a couple of doors down. There were two plates set at small table there, piled high with fruit, rolls, and bacon and she wasted no time in helping herself to the unclaimed one.

"Mm, s' good," she mumbled in-between bites. One meal had definitely not been enough to make up for two hungry days, and the food served as a distraction from what was ahead.

"I'm glad to hear it," Asami replied. She was already showered and dressed for the day, wearing a sharp new variation on her usual black and red coat, her hair as perfect as it always seemed to be. Korra felt sharply aware of how shabby she must look by contrast, a dirty, rumpled mess. "The robe's really nice, but I'm gonna need something to change into," she said.

"Not to worry," Asami replied, gesturing in the direction of a small pile of clothes sitting on a nearby chair. "You left some things behind three years ago. I've had them sitting in a drawer waiting for you to come back."

"Why are you doing all of this?" Korra blurted out before she could stop herself. "I ran away. Why are you still being so good to me?"

Asami smiled at her with a warmth that made Korra wish she deserved it. "Because you're my friend. And because you're the hero who saved this city, and the whole world, and even though you got knocked down for a while, that doesn't mean I'm going to give up on you. I just don't want to see you give up on yourself."

She wasn't sure if it was the hope in Asami's voice or the words themselves, but it was too much for Korra. The tears she'd managed to at least partially suppress the night before burst out, running hot down her cheeks. "How can I not give up?" she asked. "I mean, the first real fight I've been in for three years, and I froze. I froze, and Kuvira beat me, and then…" She stopped before she could admit to the last and worst of her humiliation, her words trailing off as her tears kept flowing.

"Korra," Asami said softly, "It'll be all right."

"No, it won't." She felt a sudden flash of anger, not really with Asami, but it came out that way. "Not this time. I'm never going to be all right again, and you have to stop thinking I will be. You have to find somebody else to save the world this time."

Asami rose, slamming her hands down on the table. "What happened to you?" she snapped, her anger now mirroring Korra's own. "The Korra I knew never gave up. No matter what had happened, she'd pick herself up and come back stronger than ever. Even when Amon took your bending, even when Vaatu severed your link with Raava, even with Zaheer poisoned you, you never gave up. What makes this time so different?"

She buried her face in her hands, unable to meet the frustration in the engineer's eyes. "Because I've tried, Asami. For three years, I rehabbed, and I trained, and I did everything I could think of to get better. I even went to this weird swamp, and found Toph, and bent the last of the mercury out of my body. And it still wasn't enough."

Korra slumped down in her chair, closing eyes that were blurry with her tears. _It's never going to be enough._


	4. Chapter 4

As Korra sobbed into her hands, Asami's thoughts spun, trying figure out where she'd gone wrong. She'd hoped to draw out the stubborn defiance that had helped see the Avatar through so many past battles, but she'd made a mistake. It still wasn't entirely clear why, but this time was different, and Korra needed more than just a pep talk.

 _I should have known that. She wouldn't have stayed away for three years if a little tough love was all it took to get her head right. I just gave into my own frustration._

"I didn't mean it like that," Asami said, trying to drain the anger out of her voice. She circled the table and put her arms around Korra, letting her face rest on top of the Avatar's mussed hair. "I just wanted to know what was going on."

Her apology only made Korra shake her head. "No, you were right. There's something wrong with me. Not with my body, or my training, or any of that stuff. Just with me. I'm pathetic."

"No, you're not," Asami insisted, "Even if you can't fight the way you used to doesn't mean you're useless."

"It's not just the fighting," Korra insisted. "Can't you feel my chi? I'm not just a bad Avatar, I'm not even an Alpha anymore. I, I..."

Fresh sobs wracked her body, and even as Asami held her friend, the pieces started to fall into place. The dimness of Korra's aura, the depths of her despair, the skittishness when she had talked about her battle with Kuvira, and her shredded clothes: all of them pointed to one terrible conclusion.

"Korra," Asami began, trying to keep herself steady. This was going to be hard enough for the other woman to talk about; she had to be the calm one right now. "When you fought Kuvira… There's more you haven't told me, isn't there? More that happened to you."

Korra didn't respond with words, but the way she slumped down even further against the table seemed to tell the story. Asami kissed the top of her head. "Oh, Korra. I'm so sorry. It's not your fault what she did."

Suddenly and violently, Korra yanked herself to her feet and out of Asami's grasp. She stormed to the other side of the room, but before the engineer could decide whether or not to follow, Korra whirled around. Her eyes were filled with rage and ugly tears now poured down her face. "She didn't do anything _to_ me, Asami. Not the way you're thinking. She didn't rape me. She fucked me, and I let her do it. I wanted her to do it." The anger in her voice was terrifying, but it wasn't directed at Asami, or even really at Kuvira.

It was self-hatred in its rawest form, and the force of it was enough to make Asami take a step back. "But why?" she stammered, too stunned to think of something more eloquent to say.

"Because what did it matter?" Korra's fury was collapsing in on itself, the Avatar shaking as she spoke. "Because after I failed to stop her, there was nothing left of me but some stupid, animal urge. I couldn't fight, couldn't take care of myself, couldn't be the kind of Alpha anyone else would want. At least…" Her voice quivered. "At least she wanted me. What else am I good for, anyway?" Korra sank to her knees. There were no more tears falling down her face, but only, it seemed to Asami, because she had none left to shed.

"Korra," Asami said again, not able to think of anything else to say. She knelt down next to the Avatar, but when she reached out to try and hold her once more, the other woman pulled back.

"How can you stand to look at me, Asami?" she demanded. "Don't you get it? I begged Kuvira. I begged her to fuck me, just so I'd feel something other than empty for a few minutes."

Asami tried to come up with some way to respond. She had met Kuvira before, and been impressed by the force of her chi, but she still never would've imagined this. The Korra she'd known had always seemed so dominant. Sure, she could be silly at times, or insecure, or plenty of other things, but she'd also exuded a power that made it impossible to imagine her submitting to one of her enemies.

Right now, though, the _how_ was secondary. Right now, Asami had to try something to help her deal with what had happened. Korra was falling apart in front of her eyes, breaking Asami's heart more with every passing second. But what could she say? Korra didn't seem to want comfort, and Asami's anger had only produced more shame. She had to think of something else and she had to do it fast.

"Okay, sleeping with Kuvira was a bad idea," she began, hoping desperately that she had picked the right approach. Korra didn't say anything in response, seemingly startled by the matter-of-fact tone of Asami's voice. The engineer wasn't sure if that was a good thing, but she had no choice but to plunge ahead regardless. "But it's not the worst decision anyone's ever made either. I mean, you could've gone to work for her like Bolin did."

Korra blinked, clearly taken aback. "How can you say that?" she finally managed to ask. "How can you be so calm about all of this?"

Asami smiled indulgently. "Remember, my father did turn out to be an Equalist terrorist. I have some practice hearing shocking news about the people I care for."

Her words made Korra blush, but she seemed calmer now, slipping partially free of the paralyzing anger that had so frightened Asami. "I guess I didn't think about it like that," she conceded before adding, "Of course, you did stop talking to him after you found all that stuff out."

"Actually, I did speak with my father recently. A few days ago, I went to visit him in prison."

Korra brushed the last of the tears from her eyes, sounding relieved to be talking about something other than her encounter with Kuvira. "How did that go?"

Asami was glad to talk about it too. For three years, there'd been so many days she'd wanted to share some event in her life with Korra, and every time she remembered that the Avatar wasn't there, it had pricked her heart anew.

"It was very emotional, but not as bad as I'd been afraid of. When I first decided to go and see him, it was only to tell him to stop sending me letters. To let my father know that he was out of my life for good. But he seemed so sorry about what he'd done, and, I don't know... He made a terrible mistake, but he's still family and I'd like to be able to forgive him eventually."

A crooked smile appeared on Korra's face. It was a relief to see it there, and the tension in Asami's gut eased. "That's really good," the Avatar told her. "And it's good to hear that you're big on forgiveness these days."

Asami shook her head. "I don't have to forgive you. You just have to forgive yourself. You were vulnerable, and Kuvira took advantage of that. It doesn't make you a bad person by any stretch of the imagination."

Korra shrugged. "Then what does it make me?" Her tone wasn't angry though. It sounded more like a real question than a way to assert how horrible she was, which definitely counted as an improvement.

"Human," Asami said. "We all make mistakes, even the Avatar."

"Well, I made a pretty big one," Korra said. "And now I have to live with it. But… I need to ask you something, Asami. Can we not tell anybody else about what happened with Kuvira? How about we just say that I lost the fight and had to escape?" She lowered her head. "I didn't mean to tell you, actually. I was just so upset that it kind of came out."

Asami laughed. "I guessed that. And of course; it's our secret unless you say otherwise."

For the first time since she came back to Republic City, Korra reached out to Asami instead of the other way around. Her hand came to rest on the engineer's shoulder, and her touch felt firmer, maybe not confident, but better than before. "I'm glad I did though."

Asami put her hand on top of Korra's. "I'm glad you did too."

Korra smiled at her again, a deep gratitude clear in eyes still tinged red by her tears. She didn't say anything else though, and as the seconds passed, Asami found herself increasingly aware of Korra's hand laying beneath hers. It was a ridiculous thing to focus on just then, but Korra's skin was so warm and her face so welcoming that Asami couldn't stop herself. The way that Korra was looking at her made something stir deep within the engineer, no matter how inappropriate it might be.

She wasn't sure if it was her or Korra who reacted to the silence first, but all at once, both of them were pulling back. "I'm sorry, I wasn't…" Asami started to say, not sure of how she planned to finish that sentence.

"No, it's fine," Korra blurted out before she had to decide. "I just… I really should go and take my shower. We have to see Tenzin and everybody, right? To tell them about Kuvira coming to Republic City. And I slept pretty late, so, yeah, time to get moving."

"Right," Asami quickly agreed, pulling herself off of the floor and brushing her hair back into place. "There certainly are things to do."

Korra got up as well, picking up the pile of her clothes from the chair before she left, but as flustered as she seemed right then, Asami couldn't help but notice that her smile was still plastered on her face.

* * *

Korra turned the knob on the stall wall and as the shower started up, she let out a sigh of relief. Her skin was stained with dirt and tears, and the hot water washing over it felt divine. Saying she was in a good mood would have been a overstatement, but she was definitely better than before. Even after blurting out what she'd done in a moment of despair, the world hadn't ended. In spite of all her mistakes, Korra still had one friend she could count on, and that made things seem a little bit brighter.

 _Yeah, your friend_ , a sarcastic voice in her head countered _._

Asami _was_ her friend, a better one than Korra deserved, but was that really all that Korra wanted her to be? Her head had been so far up her own ass that she'd barely noticed most of Asami's touches, but those last moments together, when the engineer's hand had rested on top of hers, those were lingering.

In spite of the hot water, a shiver ran through Korra's body as she remembered the feel of Asami's skin. It was hard to ignore the pull the Omega exerted. Her allure had been obvious from the day they'd first met, even when the possibility of romance had been the last thing on Korra's mind, and as low as she had fallen, she felt it still.

 _It doesn't matter_ , that voice reminded her. _However Asami was looking at you, whatever she might feel, what could you do with her? Your body doesn't even work right anymore._

And yet that knowledge didn't stop Korra's desire from surging. Even while she scrubbed herself clean, she kept picturing Asami. The graceful curve of her neck, those unbearably sexy eyes, the heat of her aura… Korra found her soapy hands lingering on her own breasts, the nipples taut beneath her palms. It was just too easy to imagine Asami in the shower with her, that it was the engineer stroking the hard tips, her hair brushing against Korra's face the way it had the night before.

Korra bit her lip, trying to stifle the moan that the idea prompted. She didn't want Asami to hear her, but in spite of her attempt at silence, her hands kept moving. One of them pinched her nipple while the other slid down the hard plane of her abdomen. A part of her knew she shouldn't be doing this, shouldn't be teasing herself with the thought of what she would never have, but she still didn't stop. The promise of a distraction from her woes was too appealing, and a little fantasy was hardly the worst way she'd tried to get it recently.

She was wet from more than just the shower by the time her fingers reached her sex, and even the first brush across her folds was enough to make her quiver. Her eyes squeezed shut as she imagined Asami pressed up against her back, her long, slim digits replacing Korra's own, planting kisses on the nape of her neck.

Her clit was already aching when she spread herself. It almost never shifted when she was alone, so for once she wasn't being reminded of her own weakness. Instead, she could just focus on the feelings, on the way her body tingled at the thought of Asami joining her there. The images made Korra stroke herself faster, picturing the way the engineer's pale skin would look with water cascading down it, how her voice might crack and turn to breathless gasps when she was touched between her legs…

That last thought was too much for Korra. Her knees buckled and this time a chocked, "Asami," escaped her throat in spite of her best efforts. Bolts of pleasure surged through her, her clit trembling against her relentless fingertips. She couldn't make herself stop touching, unwilling to let go of the feelings or the image that had inspired them.

She kept rubbing herself, her bud growing sore as Korra tried to draw out her climax, but it was a mistake. Something in her desperate attempt to hold on brought to mind just the memories she didn't want. Suddenly, it wasn't Asami standing behind her anymore, but Kuvira, the Alpha's cock still buried inside of her as her fingers worked on Korra's clit, making her shake helplessly with her orgasm.

Korra's hand slipped off of her sex and she slumped down to the tiled floor. The hot water continued pouring over her, but she was numb to it now. _That's who you really are,_ the voice inside of her said. _Kuvira's bitch. Not an Alpha Asami could want. Just give up that stupid dream already._

Her tears threatened to break forth once more, but this time, Korra managed to fight them back. _I thought she'd reject me_ , Korra reminded herself, _If she knew what happened. But she didn't. Asami didn't turn away, even when she found out what I let Kuvira do to me. So maybe there's still hope._


	5. Chapter 5

"Naga!"

The first thing Korra saw when she and Asami arrived on Air Temple Island was her polar bear dog lounging in the sun, and she wasted no time shouting out a greeting. At the sound of her voice, Naga looked up, wagging her tale with joy and bounding towards Korra.

"I missed you so much, girl," she said as she threw her arms around the dog's neck for a hug. Naga licked her face, and Korra felt her own spirits rise. Whatever problems she might have had, it was nearly impossible to be in a bad mood when cuddling a giant, furry friend.

Bumi was glad to see her too, rushing in to give a hug of his own once Naga had finally curled up at her feet. "Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he declared. "Bum-Ju and I sure missed you."

"It's so great so see you again, Bumi. And you too, Bum-Ju."

The spirit trilled happily, even while Tenzin came over for a third hug. "Welcome home," he said, and Korra could hardly believe her good fortune. Nobody seemed to be angry at her, which was more than she could've hoped for.

"I missed you, Tenzin." He nodded in response, and though he didn't say anything, Korra could see in his eyes that he shared the sentiment. She felt a fresh pang of guilt at having abandoned him for so long, but all she could do at this point was try and move forward.

"Now, I hate to get right down to business," Tenzin said, "But I want to hear what happened in Zaofu. We heard from Opal that the rest of her family was captured when the city fell, but she and the rest of the airbenders couldn't find you after your fight with Kuvira."

At the sound of the dictator's name, shame roiled Korra's guts, and she turned away, unable to meet Tenzin's eyes. She just hoped she wasn't visibly blushing.

"Way to ruin the moment," Bumi chided his brother.

"I thought I was strong enough to stop her," Korra said softly. "I feel like such a failure." _More than you can possibly know._ Telling Asami what she'd let Kuvira do had been hard enough; if Tenzin learned the truth, Korra would find out if it was possible to actually die of embarrassment.

Mercifully, Asami was there to supply the explanation they'd agreed on. "Korra lost the fight, but she was able to get away. Kuvira's forces were still hunting for her though, so she had to keep a low profile until she got back to Republic City."

Korra gave a Asami the most discrete smile she could manage, while Tenzin assured her, "Nobody expected you to handle Kuvira on your own. It's up to all of us to find a way to deal with her. We're just glad to have you back."

"I'm glad to be back." It came as a surprise to Korra, but she really meant it. For three years, she'd thought that she had to be her old self before she could return, but now, she realized that people like Asami and Tenzin were happy to see her no matter what state she was in. They still believed in her, even after all her failures. She just had to find a way to become worthy of that faith.

 _Easier said than done._

"The only thing is, we're going to have to find that way to deal with her sooner than you might be thinking," she told Tenzin. "Kuvira's going to try and conquer Republic City next."

"How do you know that?" Tenzin asked.

"Kuvira taunted me with it, when…" _When she'd finished fucking me. When she thought I was too broken to do anything about it._ "When she thought I wasn't going to make it back here to warn you."

"Oh my," Tenzin said. "I'd better go and tell President Raiko and the council right away."

"Yeah," Bumi agreed. "It will probably take Kuvira a few weeks to get her army here from Zaofu, but when she does, we're not prepared to face the kind of forces she has at her disposal."

"We'll talk to Mako," Asami added. "Maybe he can find a way to get through to Bolin and find us some inside information on Kuvira's plans."

It would be Korra's first time seeing him again. Mako had already left for work when she and Asami had made their way downstairs that morning, but the two of them were planning to meet up with him for lunch at the hotel where Prince Wu of the Earth Kingdom was staying. She just hoped the reunion wouldn't be _too_ stressful. It had already been a long few days.

* * *

As Asami and Mako dashed in her direction, Korra picked herself off of the ground where the earthbender had thrown her seconds earlier. Her pride was hurt more than her body, but that injury was still enough to sting. Once more, she'd screwed up, letting what she assumed was one of Kuvira's agents get the drop on her.

"They've got Wu," she yelled. "Get the car. I'm going after them."

The two of them ran towards the garage where Asami's Sato-mobile was parked, while Korra bolted in the direction of the delivery truck carrying Wu. It already had a decent head start on her, and by the time she caught sight of it again, it was most of the way down the street. In effort to stop the vehicle, she reached out with her earthbending, but though the pavement rippled, the driver seemed to know his business. He swerved, and the truck barely slowed as it turned the corner away from her.

 _You should have made the barrier bigger. Too weak again, stupid._

She didn't have time to dwell on her failure. Seconds later, the Sato-mobile pulled up alongside her and she jumped into the unoccupied back seat. Asami was as good a driver as Korra remembered, and she wove them skillfully through the mid-afternoon traffic, rapidly closing the gap with the truck. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be that easy to rescue Wu. As the gap between the two vehicles narrowed, the driver of the truck leaned out the door and did a little earthbending of his own. A large cement ramp sprung up in front of them, forcing Asami to turn sharply. The engineer managed to avoid a head-on collision, but by the time their car was clear of the obstruction, they no longer had a clear view of the truck.

"We're losing them," Korra cried.

Mako was undismayed. "Hang a right at the next block," he told Asami. "We can cut them off on 7th." The car, however, did not make the turn, and now Mako got testier. "You missed the turn," he yelled. "Where are you going?"

Asami's confidence didn't waver. "I know these streets better than you," she snapped back. "I built some of them."

Korra was impressed by her fierceness. Everyone knew the stereotypes about the docility of Omegas, the way they were supposed to let themselves be pushed around, rather like Eska had done with Bolin, but clearly Asami wasn't taking any crap from the Beta she used to date.

She was right too. A minute late they sped up a ramp and onto an overpass, giving Korra a clear view of the truck, caught in the traffic of the lower lane. It was only a dozen meters or so away, but there wasn't a good way for the Sato-mobile to get down to it.

 _Time to improvise._

When she rose to her feet, Mako yelled, "What are you doing? Sit down."

Korra barely heard him, his voice drowned out by the pounding of her own heart. She was about to throw herself into another combat situation. What if she froze again? One of these times, her weakness might get her killed. And yet she didn't have any other options. It was her inattention that had let Kuvira's men escape with Wu, her failure at Zaofu that had allowed this to happen in the first place. She had to at least try and make it right.

Without saying a word, Korra leapt out of the car, bending a cushion of air around her body. She landed gently on top of the truck, and a flick of her wrist split open the metal roof, giving Korra a clear view of its contents.

To her dismay, those contents didn't include Prince Wu. The only person inside was the driver and she demanded, "Where is he?!"

The man didn't seem inclined to answer and so Korra lashed out with her airbending. One good tug was enough to yank him out of seat and smash him against the rear door of the van, allowing Korra to dive inside and take his place.

It had been a few years since Asami's driving lessons, but she still remembered enough to make it to a clearing a little ways off of the road without scarring too many of the other drivers. Once she'd pulled over, she dragged the kidnapper out of the back of the truck. He was still dazed from the impact, but she didn't think he was hurt too badly, which was a definite stroke of luck. They needed answers, and when Asami's car arrived a minute or so later, she shouted out, "Wu's not here. This guy was the only one in the truck."

Mako's eyes narrowed in anger, and he stormed over to the driver. The man had recovered enough to be aware of what was going on when Mako grabbed him and slammed him into the side of the truck. "Where's the prince?!"

"Halfway to Kuvira by now." Mako pushed the kidnapper back against the truck, but all that produced was a smug smirk. "All hail the Great Uniter!"

Korra couldn't help but cringe. A part of her wondered if the words were really directed at her. Had Kuvira bragged to her troops about how she'd made the Avatar submit to her will? How Korra had sucked the dictator's cock and let her come all over her face? How she'd begged Kuvira to fuck her harder? _Don't be paranoid_ , she tried to tell herself. _This guy wasn't even at Zaofu. He doesn't know what happened._

While she wallowed, Asami was actually focused on their problem. "They must've moved Wu to a different vehicle when we lost sight of them," she observed.

A police van was pulling up even as the engineer spoke, presumably drawn by the commotion on the road, and Mako took the opportunity to truss up the driver and throw him in the back of it. "Take this guy in for booking," he told the officer behind the wheel. "Charge him with kidnapping. And tell Chief Beifong that Prince Wu is missing. Put out an all points bulletin. We'll keep looking."

The officer nodded and as the police van pulled away, Asami shook her head. "Where do we start? There are thousands of cars in this city and he could be in any one of them."

"Or they might try smuggling him out on an airship," Mako added.

"Or maybe a boat," Korra suggested.

Mako threw up his hands. "He could be anywhere." He growled in frustration. "The one time I don't watch him pee and this is what happens."

Korra decided to let that piece of information pass without comment, looking around as she tried to think of some way to find the prince. It was an oddly peaceful spot she'd picked out, a little bit of garden in the midst of the city. Grass, flowers, spirit vines… _Spirit vines! That's it!_

Walking over to the nearest one, Korra laid her hand on top of it, reaching out the way Toph had taught her. Her chi was still misaligned and weak, but fortunately this task didn't call for dominant strength. It was more of a passive skill, opening herself up to the network of vines that crisscrossed Republic City. With any luck, Wu was near one of them. She relaxed her mind, and images began to run through it.

 _Gardens filled with exotic flowers. Dogs sniffing at each other in a park. A van, speeding down the highway. Wu, covered in a pile of sacks. A bustling terminal filled with people._

"They're taking Wu to the train station!"

"Are you sure?" Asami asked, surprised by the sudden declaration. "How do you know?"

Some pathetic part of Korra wanted to take this chance to brag about her new skill to Asami. She'd had so little to be proud of lately, and this at least was one good thing she'd learned in their time apart, but that could come later. Right now, they had other priorities. "I'll explain on the way," she told Asami. "Just drive. We're running out of time."

* * *

"If we don't find Wu soon, we might never find him."

Asami was right. Thanks to her driving, they'd made it to the station in record time, but there was no sign of the missing prince. All around them, trains were arriving and departing, and any of them could be the one they needed. Korra was going to fail again, and the fact that Asami was going to be there to see it only made things worse. Korra had to try something. Maybe…

She dropped to one knee, reaching out in an attempt to feel Wu's chi. It was much harder without the vines to tap into, but it helped that his spiritual energy was pretty distinctive. Alphas were less common than Betas or even Omegas, and Alphas who reeked of weakness and cowardice the way Wu did, rarer still.

 _Well, there's you_ , her mind taunted her, but Korra did her best to ignore it. She had something. It was dim but she could have sworn she caught a flicker of his aura coming from the train just off to their right.

She rose, pointing in the direction of her feeling. "He's on that train."

The train in question was already starting to pull out of the station, leaving Korra with no choice but to leap on the back of the nearest car. Asami followed after her, and Korra caught the engineer's hand, helping her onboard. As Asami landed, she smiled at Korra, and the Avatar felt an uncommon flash of pride. For once, she'd done something good. _As long as you're right about this. Otherwise, you'll just look like an idiot again._

Mako followed seconds later, and the three of them walked together through the door that led into the passenger car. "How do you know for sure he's here?" Mako asked.

"I don't," she said with a shrug, "But I had a feeling, okay?"

"And I'm supposed to trust your Avatar feelings?"

There was skeptical edge in his voice and Korra whirled, feeling a flash of anger that was, for once, directed at someone other than herself. Mako had been testy with her all day, and it was getting on her already ragged nerves. "You wouldn't have to if you had guarded the prince like you were supposed to," she snapped.

"Oh, so it's my fault Wu disappeared?" he asked incredulously as they left the passenger car and entered a baggage compartment.

"Well, it's certainly not mine." _Except I let them get away at the hotel._

"Guys! Shh!" Asami interjected. "Listen."

Both of them did as she said, and in the newfound quiet, Korra could hear a soft banging coming from the inside of a nearby steamer trunk. Mako opened it, and like a bad magic trick, up popped a dazed Wu. The prince thrashed about in panic and Mako took hold of his shoulders. "Wu! It's me."

"Mako?" he asked, still disoriented but at least calming down. "Where am I? Am I dead?"

"No, you're on a train. We're going to get you out of here."

The need to do that was becoming urgent. Even while Wu was getting out of his trunk, the door to the compartment flew open to reveal a man and woman they had passed moments earlier. Korra hadn't thought anything of them at the time, but now she realized that they both wore the green of the Earth Kingdom and when the man raised his arms, a stream of metal blades flew towards them.

Perhaps it was a blessing that Korra didn't have time to over-think her reaction. On instinct, she deflected the blades with her own metalbending and before the pair could try anything else, she caught them in a whirlwind. The pair spun around before being slammed down hard on the floor of the train, unconscious.

That wasn't the end of their troubles, though. From the other side of the baggage car, Korra could see more of what she assumed were Kuvira's agents rushing towards them. Once, she might have been inclined to stay and fight, but she was no longer so confident in her abilities. Instead, she bent open the roof of the train.

"Everyone out," she barked.

Wu looked up, blanching as a rush of chill air washed over them. "I'm not going out there."

Korra shot a lethal glare at the prince, who appeared to decide that angering her was scarier than going up on top of the train, and he didn't object further as she used her airbending to lift him outside. The rest of their group followed and Korra took a deep breath as she felt the wind hit her face. Even a day earlier, she might've folded if she was thrown into battle, but now her nerves were fairly steady.

 _It's Asami_ , she realized suddenly. Her kindness and understanding had given Korra somewhere to land before she found an even lower bottom to hit.

The four of them began running towards the back of the train, but they weren't going to get away without a fight. From both sides of the train, Earth Kingdom agents were using their grapples to make their way up onto the roof, surrounding Team Avatar. There were four of them as well, and the first lashed out with a metal wire that wrapped around Mako's leg. He crashed down to the roof and the metalbender then tried to do the same to Korra. She managed to get her arm up in time though, and when the cord encircled her wrist, her own bending countered her enemy's, preventing him from knocking her down.

Asami moved to engage one of the metalbenders behind them and in spite of the fact that she wasn't a bender herself, the Omega quickly got the upper hand. She led low but kicked high, catching the man in the chest with a stylishly booted foot. He staggered backwards, and before he could recover, her gauntlet delivered a powerful shock that sent him sprawling.

Mako, meanwhile, had regained his bearings long enough to send a burst of fire at his assailant, and his wire unwrapped from Korra's wrist as he fell back. It was only a tactical retreat. From both sides, the metalbenders tore up the roof of the train in an effort to trap their group. _You can beat them,_ a part of her insisted, even while another reminded her, _You thought you could beat Kuvira too. Look how that turned out._

Maybe this time discretion was the better part of valor, and rather than try and bend the roof back down, Korra yelled, "Jump!"

She and Mako grabbed Wu's arms, while Asami grabbed hers, and before the prince could protest, the four of them hurled themselves off of the train. Korra wrapped a cocoon of air around them, doing her best to guide them safely into the ravine far below.

It wasn't a smooth landing. The weight of four people with so much momentum behind them was hard for Korra to handle, and instead of drifting comfortably to the ground, they tumbled along the rocky earth before finally coming to a rude stop. Fortunately, nobody seemed to be hurt though, and Korra let out a sigh of relief. This might not have been her finest hour, but it was something like a victory, and that was better than she'd done in a long time.

Mako was already back on his feet, and as he helped Wu up, he asked, "You all right?"

The prince threw his arms around Mako. "Yes. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" he repeated before adding, "You are definitely getting a raise, buddy."

"You should be thanking Korra," Mako replied, sounding much more gracious than before. "We never would've found you without her."

Wu turned towards her and bowed low. "I owe you my life, Avatar. If only there were some way to repay you." She was about to tell him that there was no need for that when she felt a shocking surge in his chi. It was yet another reminder of how low she'd sunk. Under normal circumstances, the other Alpha would never have dreamed of trying to assert himself to her, but now… "Oh, I know," he declared, grabbing hold of Korra's hand. "How about I take you out for a night on the town."

Korra pulled her hand back, giving Wu a skeptical glare. Fortunately, she wasn't quite so far gone that it had worked. Where Kuvira's power had been enough to made her body flush and her pussy wet, all she felt now was disgust. "Really?" she asked. "You're asking me out right now?"

"So, I'll put you down for a maybe?" he asked hopefully.

"How about a never?" she replied. As low as she might have fallen, she'd finally found something she wasn't going to do.

* * *

 **So I know this chapter mostly tracked the classic "Reunion" episode, but there's some important character stuff there as well, and it leads into what will definitely be a big next installment.**


	6. Chapter 6

As Asami watched the late afternoon sun's rays shine through the Republic City skyline, she was able to take a pleasure in the sight that would have been impossible only a day earlier. Then she had been consumed by the fear that Korra was dead, but now the Avatar lounged next to her on the lawn, another guest at the Sato mansion.

Still, that didn't mean everything was all right. When they'd been fighting off Kuvira's agents, Asami had seen flashes of Korra's old self, but now that the action was over, the Avatar had sunk back into a pensive silence.

"What's wrong?" Asami asked. "We did well. Tenzin and President Raiko are mobilizing the United Forces to get ready for Kuvira's invasion, and we made it to Prince Wu in time, all thanks to you."

"Wu." Korra scarcely seemed to hear her praise, instead shaking her head at the mention of the prince's name. "Can you believe he was hitting on me? Especially after everything we'd just gone through."

"That guy is a real pain," Asami agreed. "I certainly don't envy Mako his job. Spending every day with him would be a nightmare."

Korra's head dipped and she let out a deep sigh. Once again, she wasn't engaging with Asami's words, instead staying stuck in her own rut. "I guess that's going to be my life now," she said, "Getting hit on by every sketchy Alpha who thinks they can make the Avatar bend to their will."

"Hey, it's not like you went for it," Asami pointed out, trying to inject a note of cheer into her voice.

It wasn't working. Korra threw up her hands and growled. "But he still tried. If I was myself, he never would've had the nerve!" Her flash of anger passed as quickly as it had appeared, and instead she pulled back into herself, wrapping her arms around her knees and resting her head against them. "Maybe I didn't give in this time. But that's the only kind of attention I'm going to have, so I might as well get used to it."

"Korra…" Asami's heart caught in her throat as she spoke. "That's not true."

"I mean, look at me, Asami. I'm a shell of what I'm suppose to be. A failure of an Avatar."

Asami put a hand on Korra's shoulder, trying to settle her down. "You didn't fail today."

"Yeah, this one time. It won't last. I thought I was fixed before. When I went to fight Kuvira, I thought I finally had it together. And look what happened then. It's only a matter of time before I fall apart and let everyone down again."

Korra rolled away from her touch, burying her face in the grass, and Asami could hear her stifling back tears. "You can't count on me, Asami. I can't even count on me. How could I look after a mate? What kind of a catch would I be?" she asked bitterly.

Asami looked over at Korra and at the sight of her tear-stained face, the engineer made a decision. The previous night, she'd thought that Korra was too vulnerable to hear what she was now preparing to say, but now it seemed as if she was too vulnerable _not_ to hear it. Maybe this wouldn't work, maybe it was secretly selfish of Asami to try , but she was going to do it anyway.

"I think you're a great one."

Korra turned back over and now her eyes were wide as well as damp. "What're you saying?"

"I'm saying that any Omega would be lucky to have you as their mate." _There's no turning back now._ "I'm saying that I would be."

She could see confusion and disbelief war across Korra's face. "That's not true," she stammered, shaking her head. "You can't mean that. I'm a wreck, and a failure, and…"

Asami put her hand back on Korra's shoulder. "Korra, you're the bravest person I know. You turned yourself over to Zaheer to save the airbenders, even though you knew he'd probably kill you. You paid a terrible price for that choice, but you're a hero, and I'm not going to sit here and let anyone say otherwise. Not even you. You don't have to be with me, but don't for one minute believe that nobody besides some predatory Alpha could want you."

* * *

Korra stared at Asami, completely overwhelmed. The Omega's aura was wrapping around her, but it wasn't the hard push of another Alpha's chi, but a pull instead, bright and comfortable. Korra had felt it before, but never like this, never so inviting.

"Asami, I, I don't know what to say," she finally managed, but that was her head's sentiment. Her body was reacting very differently. A flush was spreading across her skin and desire, primal and hot, was coiling in her belly. _This gorgeous Omega wants you_ , it screamed, _Take her._

"You don't have to say anything," Asami continued. "I'm not sure if you feel the same way, and it's okay if you don't. I just thought you should know the truth."

Though she was clearly trying to avoid putting pressure on Korra, the tremor in Asami's voice made her feelings clear. This wasn't something she was saying to lift the Avatar's spirits. It came straight from the heart, and Korra's mind raced at the realization. Everything that had happened between them since she came back, and many things before, were cast in a new light, and she asked, "Have you felt that way for a long time?"

"I was attracted when we first met, "Asami admitted, "Even if it was kind of complicated back then. But it was when I thought I was going to lose you to the Red Lotus that I realized just how much more I wanted. That wasn't exactly tell the right time to tell you though, and afterwards, you had so much else to deal with. Besides… I thought you'd be back soon."

Her words tightened the guilt that was wrapped around Korra's heart. "Asami, I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were waiting for me like that."

Asami squeezed Korra's shoulder a little tighter. Her touch was a reassurance, as much as the words that followed. "I didn't want you to know. You had enough to deal with without worrying about my feelings."

Korra hesitated before she spoke again. She had never met anyone as alluring as the Omega seemed in that moment, but it was more than just her body that was responding. Asami was the best friend she had, the person who'd cared for after her poisoning, who she'd turned for help to when she came back to Republic City. Her heart wanted this too. And yet…

"I, I do feel that way, Asami." Fresh tears blurred her vision, but she kept going. "I just don't know what I have to offer you."

A smile spread across Asami's face, even as tears to match her own fell down it. "You have you, Korra. That's all I want."

The last of her hesitation dissolved. Korra fell into Asami's arms, letting herself be enveloped by the warmth of the Omega's chi. Asami's hand brushed over her cheek and even that small touch was enough to make Korra's heart speed up. Her encounter with Kuvira was the only other time in the last three years she'd felt real desire, but that had been hollow and wrong, even at the time. This was different. This was something Korra truly wanted, even if she didn't feel worthy of it.

She tilted her head, moving on instinct to meet Asami's approaching lips. One of her hands buried itself in the Omega's long hair as they came together, and the power of that first kiss made Korra tremble. What started a press of lips gradually opened up and Asami's tongue brushed across Korra's, even while both of them slid down into the grass. As Asami's weight settled on top of her, the scent of her desire filled Korra's senses, and there could be no doubt that this was what both of them hungered for.

Korra's hands ran over the Omega's back, searching for a path beneath first her jacket and then her shirt. Korra needed to feel bare skin under her palms, and when she finally found it, Asami let out a low sigh. Her lips broke away from Korra's to trail kisses across the line of her jaw until she caught hold of her earlobe. A single tug of her teeth on the sensitive flesh was enough to make Korra whimper. Until that evening, she hadn't let herself realize how badly she'd wanted Asami, but now it was undeniable.

"Are you sure about this?" Asami asked softly, getting hold of her desire better than Korra could have right then. "I don't want to take advantage of you."

"You're not. Really." Korra knew how plaintive her voice must sound, but she didn't care. The idea of stopping now was almost physically painful. "This is what I need. I know it's fast but I don't want Kuvira to be the last person I was with. I want it to be you."

"I understand." Asami took hold of Korra's face and kissed her again, fiercer and more urgently than before. It was a kiss meant to stake a claim, and it was working. The image of Kuvira's contemptuous face was being pushed out of Korra's head, replaced with that of the gorgeous Omega on top of her.

"We should go inside," Asami told her when she at last relinquished Korra's mouth. "After all we don't want any interruptions, now do we?"

"N, No," she stammered. Korra was so turned on she could barely talk. The warm pulsing of Asami's aura was enveloping her own fractured one, making her body hum in response. She was sure she was already soaking through her panties, and even the short trip back to Asami's room seemed far too long. Only the mortifying prospect of Mako's relatives stumbling upon them allowed her to pull herself out of Asami's arms and back to her feet.

Asami took her hand and led her out of the field and through the nearby garage. Korra scarcely noticed the car parts scattered about the floor or the smell of grease and oil in the air. All her attention was saved for the Omega. Every detail of her was captivating: the way her dark hair cascaded down her back, the line of her long legs as she walked, and above all, the sultry smile on her face, beaming over at Korra.

As soon as they made it into Asami's private elevator, Korra fell back into her embrace. Her scent, arousal, and sweat, and the hint of fruit in her shampoo, was enough to make Korra feel drunk. With every kiss, her head spun faster, and when Asami's hands lifted up the hem of her shirt and caressed the muscles beneath, she feared she might collapse.

When the doors opened at last, she and Asami staggered through the hall, neither willing to break contact even for a moment. In spite of her doubts, Korra wasn't hesitating any more. Need outweighed everything else. Her hands roamed over Asami's body, tugging her clothes loose, while her lips ran along the line of her pale neck.

Finally, they made it to the bedroom. With a playful shove, Asami pushed her down onto the bed before setting to work on the job Korra had started. Her coat was tossed aside, and while she began unbuttoning her shirt, she purred, "I've been thinking about this for so long, Korra. You have no idea what you do to me. The effect you have."

Her words were clearly meant to be seductive, but they had a different result. Korra realized suddenly that that in spite of how turned on she was, her body wasn't reacting right. Her clit might have been throbbing against her panties, but it wasn't changing. It was just like it had been with Kuvira. Her dominance was gone. Asami's aura was compelling, but it wasn't triggering her own chi the way that it should.

* * *

When Korra turned over, burying her face in the sheets, Asami's fingers stopped working on her shirt buttons. This wasn't the reaction she was looking for during their first time together, and yet Asami also knew it wasn't disinterest. The hunger in the way the Alpha had been staring at her with couldn't be mistaken, and so she asked, "What's wrong, Korra?"

"I, I can't do this, Asami. My body isn't right. I'm no Alpha anymore."

Asami looked more carefully at the other woman, and she realized what Korra meant. Her blue drawstring pants were loose fitting, but Asami still should've been able to see the outline of her erection. There was nothing visible though, and Korra's chi told a similar story. Normally, the aura of an Alpha, especially that of the Avatar, was incredibly intense. It was a compelling, insistent thing that could be either attractive or irritating, depending who it came from, but it couldn't be denied. Korra's, however, was muted and neutral, more like that of a Beta, simply accepting the presence of a partner without trying to alter it. It wasn't what Asami had imagined when she'd thought about what their first time might be like, but that didn't mean it couldn't be good too.

Leaving her shirt half-opened, Asami lay down on the bed and wrapped herself around Korra's body. She brushed back a strand of the Alpha's hair so that she could kiss her cheek. "Hey, it's okay. You don't need a cock to make love with me."

"But I…" Korra stammered. "This isn't what I'm supposed to be. It's the way I was… The way I was with Kuvira. It's weak, and pathetic, and I don't want to be those things with you."

"Korra." Asami rolled the Alpha over so that they were facing each other. "Do you think I'm weak? Or pathetic?"

She seemed surprised by the question. "What? No. You're bad-ass and amazing."

"Well, I can't grow a cock. I'm an Omega. I'm the one who gets fucked, and that doesn't mean I'm weak, and clearly it doesn't mean that people don't want to be with me."

Once again, firmness seemed to have a positive effect. Korra blushed, but the redness was accompanied by a smile. "I really didn't think of it that way."

"Most Alpha's don't."

"Yeah, I guess not," Korra agreed. "We might get a little hung up on the dominance thing."

"Sometimes." Asami ran her hand over Korra's, giving it a squeeze. "What made it bad with Kuvira was how you were feeling, and the way she took advantage of that. It wasn't that you bottomed for her. You won't be the same way with me because I'm not her."

"Absolutely not," Korra quickly agreed.

"Then trust me."

"I do." Korra turned back over, and Asami took hold of her shirt and yanked it up. The Alpha raised her arms to help, and once it was off, Asami unwrapped her breast band too, leaving her torso bare.

"You're gorgeous, Korra." Her voice was low and reverent. Whatever had happened over the last few years, it hadn't stopped her lover from being absolutely breathtaking. Her stomach was perfectly toned, and her breasts were full and firm, topped with dark brown nipples that were already stiff.

For a moment, she just looked down at Korra, taking in the incredible sight. When she started caressing the bare skin, though, the Alpha stopped her. "Wait. Can you strip too? I just…"

She could hear the vulnerability behind Korra's request and she didn't probe any further. Instead, Asami resumed the show that had been interrupted earlier. One by one, she undid the remaining buttons of her shirt, letting it fall open to reveal her bra-clad breasts. _I wonder if I picked out this red lacy thing because some subconscious part of me hoped this would happen? Either way, I'm glad I did._

All the more because Korra seemed to love the view. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "You really… Spirits, Asami, you look…"

Korra's voice trailed off as she reached up to unhook the garment and take it off of Asami's body. Her hands cupped the Omega's breasts, and even that simple contact was enough to draw a moan out of Asami. Her hips shifted, taking one of Korra's legs between them, and she rocked against it. It was a rough pressure, but the fact that it was Korra's body against her sex made Asami whimper. It had been much too long since she'd been with anyone, let alone someone she wanted like this.

 _I've never been with someone I wanted like this._

Their next kiss was slow and deep, drawing out even while Asami bent down, brushing her breasts over Korra's. Her hands ran along the Alpha's sides, and when her thumb made it to one of her nipples, it drew out a groan. It was an honest sound of pleasure, of someone just letting herself enjoy the moment, and Asami wanted more of them. "Just relax," she purred as her lips trailed down Korra's neck, "Let me make you feel good. Then you can see to me."

"Okay," Korra agreed, relaxing back on the bed while Asami kept moving lower. Korra had been right earlier; it was unusual for an Alpha to be so passive during sex. Asami didn't mind the opportunity to take a little control. She was more assertive than many Omegas; it was one of the reasons she'd never been exclusively interested in Alphas, no matter how compelling this one might be.

There was no doubt that Korra was enjoying this. Her hand was tangled in Asami's hair, and whenever the Omega would suckle on a nipple or kiss a toned curve, it would pull a little tighter. Even while her mouth kept working, she sought out the tie of Korra's pants. When they were slid off, there was a dark, wet spot already formed on the crotch of her grey panties, and Asami's mouth went dry at the thought that she was its cause. Alphas generally didn't get as wet as Omegas, and this reaction was a powerful compliment.

Whatever else was going on with her body, Korra still had an Alpha's thick, heady scent, and the potent aroma was making Asami's head spin with lust. Abandoning Korra's breasts, she took hold of the panties and pulled them off, but only slowly. She had waited so long for this moment, and she wanted to savor it. Korra's sex was pink and glistening beneath a patch of dark hair, but before Asami touched it, she ran her hands up her Alpha's thighs. They spread for her, but when her fingers finally drew close to the engorged folds, Korra tensed up.

"I just want to make this good for you," she said, stopping her hands until she was sure everything was okay.

"I want that too," Korra gasped. Her breathing was ragged with her desire. "It's just…"

"I know. I'm not her."

Korra exhaled, accepting the reminder. "No, you're not."

Her hand took hold of Asami's wrist, guiding it back towards her sex. Even the first brush of her fingers made her Alpha moan, and Asami dragged them through her wetness, enjoying every new texture she learned. Korra's clit might not have shifted, but it was hard as a rock, poking out from beneath its hood and begging to be touched. Before she did though, Asami bent down, drawn Korra in for a kiss even as the pads of her fingers made contact. The feel of the Alpha groaning into her mouth was primal, enough to make Asami's own sex ache.

She began with a slow, steady motion, drawing circles across the head of Korra's clit. Wetness was dripping out of her lover, and her body was writhing beneath Asami, but it was her face that was the most remarkable. Her cheeks were flushed, her mouth hung open, and her eyes alternated between starring at the Omega and fluttering closed when the sensations became too much. There was no trace of sorrow or pain there, only a total absorption in their lovemaking.

That was how Asami knew it was all right to ask. "Can I go inside?" she purred. "I want to feel you around me." _And to remind you that bottoming doesn't have to be what it was with Kuvira._

Korra nodded, too far gone to speak, and Asami dipped her fingers down to the Alpha's entrance. She was tight as Asami slid into her, but eager. Her hips pushed forward, taking the digits as deeply as she could, and her inner walls fluttered around them. The Omega made a few exploratory strokes to make sure Korra was comfortable with the penetration, and when they drew out a deep groan, her thumb replaced her other fingers on her Alpha's clit.

Once more she started gradually, but as Korra's moans grew louder, her thrusts kept pace with the Alpha's building desire. "You look wonderful," she breathed into her lover's ear. "And you're the one I want. Like this. Any way you are, I just want you."

"You, 'Sami," Korra panted, "I want you."

Her words thrilled Asami almost as much as Korra's reactions did. Her hips were bucking against her touch, and her face was drawing tight, a band getting ready to snap. _I'm going to make her come_.It was an obvious statement, but the fact of it was thrilling to Asami.

"Oh, Korra," she cooed, "You're so close and I want to feel you fall over. Will you do that for me? Please?"

Her plea was too much. Korra's body went still and her inner walls squeezed down around Asami's digits, soaking them as she fell apart. As patient as Asami had been building her up, she was equally patient with her climax. Korra needed this release, every drop of it, and Asami gave it to her. Every time it seemed the Alpha's pleasure was slackening, Korra would whimper, "More," and Asami would rub her clit again, drawing out fresh moans and shudders. Only when she laid her hand on Asami's wrist and mumbled, "Can't… Can't come more," did she finally relent.

Sliding her fingers out of Korra's pussy, Asami brought them up to her lips, sucking off the thick flavor that had been teasing her senses. Its richness was enough to make Asami's untouched sex quiver, and her aura pulse. The signal of her need was enough to rouse Korra from her blissful state. She lifted her head up, desire burning in her eyes, and for an instant, Asami felt a stirring in the Alpha's chi. Not enough to make her change, perhaps, but enough to send a shiver down Asami's spine.

She couldn't wait any longer. Rolling off of Korra, she spread herself out on the bed, running a hand through her hair, and giving the Alpha her best seductive smile. "So, Avatar Korra," she asked, "What exactly do you want to do with me now?"

* * *

 **And there it is, the chapter we've been waiting for, just in time for Korrasami anniversary day. Let me you what you thought of it, and don't worry, there's lots more ahead, starting with Korra's answer to that question.**


	7. Chapter 7

So, Avatar Korra," Asami asked, her voice dripping with sex, "What exactly do you want to do with me now?"

It was quite a question. More than enough, certainly, to banish the lethargy Korra's orgasms had induced. Unfortunately, she didn't know how to answer it.

 _Yes, you do,_ her inner Alpha screamed, _You want to be inside her. To mate her. To make her yours._

But she couldn't do that, and remembering her body's dysfunction made Korra want to hide her face in the sheets. This time she didn't do it. Instead, she looked back over at Asami. There was a sultry smile on her face, and her pale skin was flushed pink. She wanted Korra. She wanted the Alpha to repay at least a little of the pleasure she'd just been given, and Korra wasn't going to let her down. If she couldn't use her cock, she'd have to think of something else.

In a way, it was Asami who made the decision for her. The smell of her arousal was delicious, honey sweet and thick, and Korra could almost feel it in her mouth already. Almost wasn't enough though, and she breathed, "I wanna taste you."

Asami's tongue ran over her lips. "Then go ahead."

Korra slid next to the Omega, dipping her head in for another kiss. Asami's hands ran over her bare back, and as the embrace went on, she moaned into Korra's mouth. Her lover's desire was clear, and the Alpha could feel her lingering hesitations falling away. It didn't matter that she couldn't bring Asami pleasure the way she wanted to; she could still do something very good for her, and that would have to do.

With one hand, Korra undid the button of Asami's pants. As soon as she took care of the zipper, the Omega shimmied out of the garment, a very seductive wiggle of her hips accompanying the motion. Her lacey, red panties matched her bra, and they were already soaked through by the time Korra got a look at them.

"Is that for me?"

Her mouth had gone dry, and she didn't ask the question as confidently as she would've liked, but it still earned her a smile. "Most definitely."

One hand slid inside Asami's underwear while the other found a full breast, discovering its curves. It felt like Korra had been waiting her whole life to do this. To feel the softness of Asami's skin beneath her palm. To have the Omega's wetness coat her fingers. To see her eyes close and her head tilt back as she let out a groan.

Korra's mouth found the exposed base of Asami's throat, sucking gently on the skin before she moved downwards. Her collarbone came next, a trail of kisses there leading the Alpha to the other breast. Her fingers she kept still for now. Beneath them, she could feel Asami's clit pulse, waiting for her to do more, but she wasn't ready yet. She was still feeling her way through this, and she wanted to enjoy every new sensation she could discover.

Her lips closed around a pink nipple. It was diamond hard in her mouth, a signal of how turned on the Omega was. _Asami's enjoying this_ , she told herself. _She wants you this way too. It doesn't have to be settling._

She suckled on the tip, and her efforts produced a mumbled, "Mm, yes Korra." It was a delightful sound and she lashed her tongue back and forth over the nipple in an effort to earn more of them. A series of groans and sighs were her reward, and Korra knew she would never get tired of hearing them.

"Other one," Asami stammered, and Korra switched breasts. This time, she began rubbing the Omega's clit as well as kissing her nipple. The hands draped across Korra's back tightened their grip, digging into the muscles there. She could feel the pull of Asami's chi as well, hot and urgent. It was a plea with without words, a call for Korra's attentions, and she was desperate to give her lover whatever she needed.

It was what she needed too. Asami's scent was only growing stronger as she was pleasured, and Korra was starving to taste its source. Withdrawing her fingers and moving away from the Omega's breasts, she kissed down the plane of her stomach. It was smooth without being as hard as her own abs, and when she nuzzled against it, Asami laughed.

"That tickles."

"Sorry." She knew how badly Asami needed her to keep going, how much she wanted to as well, but it was hard to deny herself these little explorations.

"Don't worry," Asami reassured her, "Just keep going."

The lust behind her words was enough to make Korra forget all about her embarrassment or really, anything but pleasing Asami. Without further hesitation, she tugged off her panties and breathed the Omega's scent in more deeply. The pull of her was overwhelming now, a primal hunger calling out to her Alpha to satisfy it.

Korra began by darting out her tongue towards Asami's folds, and when the tip made contact with slick flesh, even the first taste made her head spin. The Omega was utterly intoxicating, and Korra couldn't stop herself from sliding downwards to get more of her flavor. Asami was absolutely soaked now but despite how much of her arousal there was, Korra didn't think she could ever get enough of it. As her tongue plunged in and out of the Omega's pussy, Asami's back arched and her hips pressed against Korra's face, letting her get every drop that flowed out. And yet, she still wanted more. More of that rich taste, but also more of other things. To hear Asami cry out in pleasure. To feel her body tense and shiver as she came for Korra.

It was incredibly hard to tear her mouth away from Asami's opening, but the thought of making her climax was enough of an inducement. The head of the Omega's clit was still peaking out, pulsing from Korra's earlier touches, and she had no trouble locating it.

Fortunately, she did have some experience to draw on. Some Alphas thought that all they had to do to satisfy a partner was pound away with their cock, but Korra wasn't one of them. Before she'd come to Republic City, when she was still a young Alpha of the Southern Water Tribe exploring her sexuality, she'd picked up a few skills with some of the local Beta and Omega girls.

She put them all to work now. Her lips formed a seal around Asami's clit while her tongue painted circles on its head. It wasn't easy to keep up a steady motion with the way the Omega was bucking beneath her, but Korra did her best. Asami's hand was running through her hair now, and every touch brought forth new pleas. "Spirits, Korra," she whimpered, "Yes. Oh, Spirits yes. Suck my clit. Do it. Please."

Korra hardly needed the encouragement. She was drunk on Asami's smell and taste, unable to even consider stopping. Her fingers dug into the Omega's thighs, keeping her in place while she kept working on the bud in her mouth. Beneath her fingers, she could feel the tension building. Words were fading away, replaced with raw cries of pleasure, and Korra felt a thrill go through her at the thought of Asami's climax. Her tongue kept up its motion over the Omega's clit, and when she sucked on it once more, Asami's suddenly stilled.

A scream ripped its way out of her throat, and her hips pushed forward hard, clenching around Korra's head as she her orgasm overtook her. Heavy pulses of her wetness, even more of it than before, spilled out over the Alpha's chin and a sudden urge to claim their source filled Korra. She brought two fingers up to Asami's entrance, and they were eagerly accepted.

Asami clenched around her as she pushed deeper inside, thrusting vigorously. Even though it was getting sore, her tongue kept working as well. The Omega had left her utterly satisfied, and whatever pride Korra had left wouldn't let her do any less. It was only moments before Asami's next orgasm crashed over her. A press of Korra's fingers against her swollen front wall were enough to make her spasm around them once again, another release of her fluids soaking Korra's chin utterly. Moans and gasps had replaced that first ecstatic scream, and Asami's grip on her slackened as she kept coming, but she didn't let go entirely.

This second climax was a longer one, drawn out by Korra's determined efforts, and by the time it was finally done, Asami was left laying spent on the bed. She was panting and sweating, and Korra had never seen anything more beautiful than the Omega did in that moment. _I'm so lucky_ , she thought suddenly. _This was so much better than I could've hoped for._

Korra slid her fingers out of Asami slowly, bringing them up to her mouth. One by one, she sucked the digits clean before using them to clean the glaze of arousal covering her lips and chin. She swallowed it down with relish as well, and the only thing even half as good as the taste was the way that Asami looked at her while she did it. Those bedroom eyes of hers were half closed, but fixed on Korra, and filled with an affection that made her heart melt.

"Come here," Asami mumbled, and Korra crawled up into her embrace. The Omega was clearly still slack from her orgasms, but she summoned the strength to wrap her arms around Korra's back. "Thank you, Korra," she purred as the Alpha settled her head against the softness of her lover's breasts, "That was wonderful."

Her gratitude brought tears to Korra's eyes. This time, though, they were happy ones. "I should be thanking you, Asami. I can't even say what that meant to me."

"You don't have to do that. This was what I wanted."

"I know that, but still…"

"Okay, then." Asami kissed her forehead before nuzzling against the now-messy mop of Korra's hair. "You can be grateful if you want to."

That was how they stayed for a time. Asami's breath against her skin and the rising and falling of her chest were soothing, as were the smooth contours of the Omega's aura. Now that Asami had been satisfied, it wasn't hungry anymore, but gentle against Korra's own chi. That wasn't back to what it should be, but neither did it feel quite so ragged. Indeed, Korra had a certain sense of peace. For so long, she'd been lost, and even though she wasn't right yet, at least she was where she was supposed to be.

Asami's hand began stroking her hair, and Korra planted a set of lazy kisses on her breasts. The affection drew out a soft purr, and she tilted her head upwards. "I missed you so much, Asami," she admitted. "You don't how many times I thought about coming back here these last three years."

"Why didn't you?"

She sighed. "I just… I thought I had to be right before I could see people again. But now I realize that I had it all backwards. Maybe I did have to be on my own for a while, but at some point, I needed support to get better. To not try and do everything by myself."

"Oh, Korra…" Asami bent down and gave her a kiss on the lips, brief but sweet enough to make the Alpha's head feel lighter. "I missed you too. When you were gone, at first I was just sad. Then, when I realized you weren't going to be back in a few weeks, I told myself that I should try to meet other people. To move on. But it didn't work out that way."

"Asami." Korra reached her arms around the Omega, holding her close. "I didn't want you to wait for me. I mean, we weren't even together. There were feelings, but we hadn't…" Her voice trailed off as she remembered what things were like back then. Asami wasn't the only one who'd felt an attraction, nor was she the only one who hadn't felt like it was the right time to act on it.

"You didn't ask me to," Asami insisted. "And it's not like I didn't try. A single Omega running a giant corporation definitely has plenty of suitors after all, and I went on dates with some of them. But I didn't mate anyone. None of them were what I wanted." She paused, brushing her hand over Korra's forehead. "None of them were you."

"Me?" It was hard for Korra to believe that she had meant so much to Asami, in spite of the recent evidence of her feelings.

"Didn't I just tell you that you're a hero? And gorgeous, and kind, not to mention the Avatar. Nobody else was what I wanted. Nobody else made my chi hum the way yours did, or could make me so wet with nothing more than the right look."

"I…" Korra paused, looking up at the stunning Omega. She wasn't sure she should say the words that were waiting on the tip of her tongue. This had all happened so fast. And yet, she'd known Asami for years. Been close to her. This didn't feel sudden. It felt natural, the progression of things that had begun long ago, and so for one more time that day, Korra found her courage. "I love you, Asami. I'm sorry I was gone for so long, and I don't know what I can promise you about what'll happen next, but I love you."

Her heart went still as she waited for an answer, but not for long. Asami's hand pressed against her cheek and it was the Omega's turn to have her voice catch when she spoke. "I love you too, Korra. And you don't have to promise me anything or keep apologizing for being gone. You're back, and you're here with me. That's enough for now."

Korra swallowed, almost unable to believe this was happening. And yet she had no choice. The love Asami had proclaimed was as clear in her eyes as in her voice and for once, Korra decided not question her good fortune. Instead, she just leaned in and kissed the Omega once more. This one was slow and deep, their lips parting for each other as they drank in this moment of happiness amid the turmoil. Korra still didn't know what her future held, but for the first time since being defeated by Kuvira, she had hope that it might be good.


	8. Chapter 8

**So, here we're following the plot of 4.9, but there's some important character stuff, and its leading up into a huge next chapter.**

* * *

The morning sun was shinning brightly on Air Temple Island, seeming to mirror the improvement in Korra's mood. Asami had needed to get back to work at Future Industries that day, but in spite of her absence, the memory of the Omega's sweetness lingered. Her love was more than Korra could've imagined or hoped for when she came back to Republic City.

With a flick of her wrist, she bent a path stone in front of Naga, making it rise up out of the ground. The polar bear dog bounded towards the strange phenomenon, but just before she reached the brick, Korra lowered it and lifted up another one instead. Naga sniffed at the ground curiously, before moving on to the second rock. Korra smiled at her old friend, realizing just how much she had missed moments like this.

Her uncomplicated happiness didn't last for long. Even while she kept earthbending random stones, she saw Opal walking down the path towards her. The Beta's arms were crossed and Korra could see from the sour look on her face that her mood wasn't nearly as good.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

Opal gave her an irritated snort. "No. Kuvira has my family, and no one seems to care but me."

The mention of the dictator's name banished Korra's sunny disposition as well. None of this would be happening if she'd beaten Kuvira when she'd had the chance. Somehow, she had to make right what she had so horrible fouled up. "We all care," she declared, putting a hand on Opal's shoulder. "And don't worry, we'll get them back safely." _If only I knew how._

Opal didn't have a chance to reply. A gust of air grabbed their attention, and when the two women looked upward, they saw Jinora swooping down on her glider suit. The Omega was headed towards them, worry written all over her face.

"Guys!" she yelled as she landed. "There you are. I just felt a weird surge of spiritual energy coming from the Spirit Wilds. Something's wrong."

Korra nodded. "We'd better get going." Jinora was the most spiritually sensitive person she knew. If she thought something bad was happening in the wilds, then they had a new problem to add to the looming threat of Kuvira. _And just when things were starting to look up._

* * *

The air in the Spirit Wilds was heavy, and the vines were clustered thickly all around them. The dense network of plants reminded Korra of the Banyan grove where she had trained with Toph not so long ago. Where she had thought she'd been cured. What a fool she'd been to believe that.

"Are you sure you felt a disturbance?" Opal asked Jinora as the latter climbed up a nest of the vines in search of a better vantage point. "Maybe you just had some bad food for breakfast."

"I'm telling you, I felt it," Jinora huffed. "Maybe something happened to Ryu's tour group. We should've run into them by now."

Korra laughed. "Yeah, but it's Ryu. They might be at the mall for all we know."

Jinora didn't seem to be amused. "Korra, can't you feel how strange the energy is?"

She should have been able to. She was the Avatar, after all. But her connection to the Spirit World had been defective even since Zaheer's poison. On the other hand, she did have that trick Toph had taught her. "No," she admitted, "But maybe I can get a reading." Stepping up to one of the thicker spirit vines, she put her hand on it and extended her consciousness.

At once, the vine opened up to her. Her thoughts raced through the deep green of its interior, twisting and turning until they arrived at another thick stand of spirit vines. Unlike those in Republic City, however, these ones were in danger. A small army of men and women in Earth Army uniforms had set up a military camp in the grove. Soldiers in mechanical suits with saws for hands were cutting into the vines, slicing off thick hunks to be carted away by their fellows. One of the plants lashed out at their attackers, but though it knocked aside a few of the soldiers, more of them used metal grapples to lock down the vine, getting it ready for its own harvesting.

With a gasp, Korra pulled back. Behind her, she felt Opal's hand on her shoulder. "Korra. What is it? Are you okay?"

She shook her head, trying to steady her emotions and reorient herself. Through the connection, she'd felt the vines' pain and anger, more victims of them woman who'd humiliated her. "It was Kuvira. I saw her taking vines from the swamp. It must be affecting our Spirit Wilds. I bet that's what you were sensing, Jinora."

"Why is she taking vines?" Jinora asked.

Korra shrugged. "I'm not sure, but whatever the reason, it can't be good."

"We have to tell Raiko," Opal insisted. "This might help him convince the other leaders to finally take her down." _Not to mention free your family. Not that I don't sympathize with the cause._

"You two do that. I'll keep looking for Ryu and the others," Jinora told them.

The airbending master headed off deeper into the Spirit Wilds, while Korra and Opal made their way back the way they had come. Korra sighed as she thought about what she needed to do next. She'd been happy to let Tenzin be the one to bring her warning about Kuvira's upcoming invasion to President Raiko but now, she couldn't put off talking to the politicians any longer.

* * *

Korra threw open the office doors with gusto, trying to project a confidence she didn't really feel. "President Raiko," she declared, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but…"

Her words trailed off as she realized that a conference was already in progress. The president, Chief Beifong, Mako, and Tenzin, as well as Prince Wu and Fire Lord Izumi, were all gathered around a large table, clearly in the middle of a heated discussion.

"Oh, hey Avatar Korra," Wu declared, stretching back his arms in an effort to appear nonchalant. "Just kicking it world leader style, trying to figure out what to do about Kuvira. For the record, I told Raiko he should've invited you."

The sight of the ridiculous Alpha lounging there triggered something in Korra and a look of shock passed over her face. "You invited him, but not me?"

"Please, Korra," Tenzin urged her. "It's not personal. We just thought… Perhaps we called you back into action a little too soon."

Some part of her knew he was right. After all, look what had happed at Zaofu. And yet, whatever her failings, really, Wu? "Again," she huffed, "Him, not me?

President Raiko, who'd never been a friend of hers, adopted a mask of studied officiousness. "Korra, we're in the middle of a meeting and we can't have people just barge in whenever they want."

His words were ill-timed. Even as he finished speaking, everyone's attention was drawn by the sound of boots coming from the rear of the room. Korra turned around, and saw two figures dressed in Earth Kingdom uniforms. The pair seemed worse for the wear, tired, dirty, and bruised up, but even in that garb, the faces of Varrick and Bolin were unmistakable.

"Guys!" Bolin exclaimed. "Oh, perfect, you're all here.

It was hard to say whether Opal or Mako was more surprised to see him, and both of them blurted out, "Bolin?" at practically the same time.

"What are you doing here?" the president demanded. "Guards! Remove these traitors."

A pair of uniformed security personnel did indeed seize the two new arrivals. Grabbing them by their shoulders, they started to drag them out of the office, when Bolin protested, "No, we escaped Kuvira's army. We're back on your side now."

 _Seems like you're not getting along much better with the "Great Uniter" than I am these days_ , Korra thought with a rueful sigh. _At least you didn't let her fuck you._ Well, probably not. Bolin had made some odd mating choices over the years. It wouldn't totally surprise her to learn that the Omega had slept with Kuvira as well.

Bolin's protests seemed to have no effect on the situation, and so he yelled, "We have top secret information for you!"

That did the trick. Everyone paused and Raiko gave a nod to the guards, who promptly let go of the struggling defectors.

Varrick dusted himself off. "Okay, I guess we should've opened with that line."

"Listen," Bolin told them, "Kuvira's making this thing that goes bah-boom!" He threw his arms up in the air and let out a scream to illustrate his point. "I don't know how it works, but it has this bow-ow-ow…"

Varrick grabbed his shoulder and added, "It's a super weapon. Like a regular weapon, only super."

Korra had a sinking feeling she knew what kind of super weapon they were talking about. "And let me guess: it has something to do with Spirit Vines."

"Yes," Varrick agreed. "How did you know?"

"I saw a vision of Kuvira's army taking Spirit Vines from the swamp."

"If she figures out how to harness their power, we're all doomed," the unscrupulous tycoon opined.

President Raiko seemed to share his gloomy assessment. "We already know that she plans to attack Republic City, and now it seems she's going to use that weapon to do it. The only way to protect ourselves is with a preemptive strike before it's complete."

"My airbenders won't be part of an attack so deep inside of the Earth Kingdom," Tenzin declared. "Many of them barely escaped from Kuvira's army at Zaofu, and we have too few to risk in such a dangerous operation."

Izumi had said nothing this whole time, but now she rose from her chair. "Neither will the Fire Nation."

"But Fire Lord Izumi, Kuvira is a threat to the whole world," Raiko protested. "She has to be stopped."

"The Fire Nation has spent too much of its history fighting nonsense wars," Izumi pointed out. "We lost a great deal in the last one, and I refuse to drag my nation into another conflict unless there's no other choice. Kuvira has made no claims on the territory of my people, and Tenzin is right: a strike inside her territory would doubtless cost many lives. If you attack Kuvira, you'll do it without my army."

Raiko knew when he was beaten. "Fine," he conceded, "I'll hold off any plans of attack. We'll go on the defensive and fortify security on the borders."

"In that case," the Fire Lord agreed, "You'll have my help."

While she and Raiko, along with the rest of the world leaders, sat back down to discuss their plans in greater detail, Korra drifted towards the exit. Once, the Avatar would've been part of that group, but now, it was clear that they had no use for her advice. Not since her disappearance. Not since Kuvira had kicked her butt, and more… None of them knew even about that part, and already, they thought she was a non-entity. Asami might have loved her as a woman, but as an Avatar, she no longer counted for much.

* * *

As they approached the edge of the Spirit Wilds, Korra could already hear the sound of Chief Beifong barking orders. Apparently, word of the trouble there had reached her too. "Put up a perimeter," she ordered her officers. "Cancel all tours. Somebody get a hold of Tenzin!"

Korra shared her concern. The spectral Jinora who had appeared to her and Mako as they'd been standing outside of the presidential palace had sounded panicked. Ryu's tour group definitely was not at the mall. The vines must have taken them, and now they seemed to have grabbed Jinora as well.

As they approached, Lin turned around and Korra told her, "We gotta get in there and find Jinora."

The chief shook her head. "I don't think anyone should be going into the wilds right now."

 _She doesn't have faith in me anymore. Just like Raiko and the rest of them._ When she first returned to Republic City, Korra would've agreed with that dim assessment, but now she wasn't ready to give up hope. Asami's kindness and love had given her something to hold onto. She had gotten through Wu's kidnapping, and now her friend, her mentor's oldest daughter, needed her help.

"I know I'm not the old Avatar I was before," she insisted to Lin, "But I can do this."

Chief Beifong didn't have a chance to answer. Out of nowhere, a massive spirit vine emerged from the depths of the wilds, lashing out at the group. Korra hit the ground even as it smashed through a nearby police cruiser, turning it over and sending the officers standing beside it sprawling. As quickly as it had appeared, however, it withdrew, and by the time Korra was back on her feet, the vine was already gone.

Korra looked back over at Lin, and the attack seemed to have made the chief change her mind. Instead of trying to stop Korra from going in, all the other Alpha said was, "Be careful."

* * *

They had been walking through the Spirit Wilds for what felt like hours, though it was hard to keep track of time, dim as the sun was beneath the canopy. In spite of the length of their search, Korra could find no sign of their friend. "Jinora!" she called out once more. "Where are you?"

"Hello?" Mako added. "Anyone there?"

There was no response but silence, at least not to her. Mako seemed to become aware of something though, because he held up a hand, and asked, "Wait? Do you hear that?"

She strained her ears, picking out what might have been a slight rustle. "Maybe?"

Before Korra could say anything more, the vines struck again, lashing out at both of them with massive, green tendrils. Mako conjured up jets of fire in an effort to drive the attackers back, while Korra did the same with her airbending. A shield of wind deflected the initial attack against her but Mako wasn't so lucky. A vine got through his flame bursts and wrapped around his waist, pinning his arms against his body and picking him up off of the ground.

 _I'm not losing any more people to these things._ A burst of Korra's own fire leapt out from her hands, searing the middle of the vine that had Mako captured. A large portion of it charred and it released the detective, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"Come on!" Korra yelled as Mako pulled himself back to his feet. "We need shelter."

The two of them ran into a large nearby building, one of the many abandoned after Korra created the Spirit Wilds during her battle with Vaatu. The vines were following after them, and so once they were safely inside, Korra lifted up her arms and raised a massive barrier of earth out of the floor, blocking the entrance.

The onslaught ceased for now, and Korra breathed a sigh of relief. The bending was coming easier to her than before. She wasn't as strong as she should be, but combat wasn't making her freeze up either. It was progress of a sort.

This was no time for self-congratulation however. "Korra, look," Mako asked, "What are those?"

She turned around, and beheld something remarkable. There was a tower of pods, heading up into a darkness she couldn't see the top of, beacons that glowed green in the darkness of the building. They hummed with energy as well, pure spirit that stood out even in the already charged atmosphere of the wilds.

Korra walked over to the nearest one, and when she pressed her palm against its surface, it changed from opaque to translucent, allowing her to see the outline of a person trapped inside. They was still partially indistinct, but Korra knew the inhabitant too well not to recognize her.

"It's Jinora. The rest of them must be here as well. Their spirits are trapped in the Spirit World."

Fire wrapped around Mako's hand. "Then let's get them out."

Korra put a hand on his shoulder. "Not that way. You'll provoke the vines. Let me try."

Mako's hand dimmed and he backed off , while Korra took a breath to prepare herself. She did her best to remember Unalaq's lessons. Her uncle had proven to be mad and cruel, but he had known the Spirit World better than anyone she'd ever met. Tendrils of yellow light extended out of her hands and wrapped around the pods, but even though Korra strained with everything she had, nothing happened. She couldn't establish a firm enough grip to open the pods. Her power seemed to slip away every time she tried to focus on it, her connection to the Spirit World still weak.

"They won't open," she growled, frustrated at her own failure. "Maybe if I meditate into the Spirit World, I can free them from there."

Mako didn't object. He didn't know just how difficult what she was proposing would be for her. Didn't know that she hadn't been able to go into the Spirit World for three long years. And yet she had to try. For Jinora's sake and for her own.

Settling in the lotus position, Korra closed her eyes and brought her hands together. _Embrace what's within you,_ she reminded herself, _not what surrounds you. Let the world fall away and another take its place._

Her breathing steadied and when her eyes opened once more, the abandoned building had indeed vanished. Where Korra found herself, though, was a surprise. She sat atop a massive pillar of rock, looking over a barren landscape that spread out in every direction.

"Wait," she said tenuously, a sick dread growing inside of her, "This isn't the Spirit World."

And then she put it together. She had been in this place before. She knew who was waiting for her, and when she looked up into the sky, her worst fears were confirmed. There, floating above her, was the man she had spent three years seeing in her nightmares.

"Zaheer! No!"

While Korra screamed, her nemesis was already airbending. A powerful gust was hurled towards her, and despite her frantic efforts to form a shield, she was hurled to the ground. Her body slammed down into the rock, and she grunted at the impact as she tumbled backwards. She managed to catch herself at the edge of the pillar, her hands scrapping over the stone, but only barely. Zaheer was swooping in towards her, and when she tried to conjure a gust of fire to hurl at him, the top of her arm erupted in pain. She clutched at it as the burning agony ran down its length, and Zaheer taunted, "You can't fight me and the poison."

"No, I got it out," Korra pleaded, her voice pathetic and weak.

Somehow, she knew his answer even before he gave it. "You'll never get it out."

Once more, Zaheer raised his arms and now air currents wrapped around Korra. A sphere of wind was surrounding her, spinning ever faster, drawing the breath out of her lungs. She tried to suck in another breath, but it was futile. Nothing could get through Zaheer's sphere. She had no air, no power, and no hope. The world went black around her as death closed in.

Somehow, a scream escaped her lungs, and the world of Zaheer vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. Distantly, Korra heard her own named being cried out, followed by the feeling of a firm hand being placed on her shoulder. She swallowed hard, sucking in precious air, and when her eyes focused once more, she was back in that chamber in the Spirit Wilds, bathed in the green glow of the pods.

"What's wrong?" Mako asked her.

Her heart was still pounding out of Korra's chest and sweat poured off of her skin. The panic had stolen her voice, and it was several seconds before she could manage to say, "It's Zaheer."

"What're you talking about?"

It was hard to admit the truth, but she had choice. Mako had already seen her weakness and so she told him, "He's been haunting me, ever since I fought him three years ago. I can't get any peace. It's like he's blocking me from meditating into the Spirit World."

Mako took his hand off of Korra's shoulder, using it to help her back to her feet. "I'm here for you. What do you need?"

 _Why do I need? To be better. To be free of this prison of my own head._ She wiped the sweat from her face, as she considered the question further. _But how? How can I get past this? How can I beat an enemy I can't even touch._ The answer came to her in a flash, and Korra knew what she had to do, no matter how much it terrified her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Once again, we're in episode 4.9, but with some more significant changes, notably a lot more Asami. Hope you enjoy it. "I want to face Zaheer."**

* * *

Korra's request didn't go over as well as she'd hoped. Tenzin bowed his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Korra, he's too dangerous. Even when he's locked up, he can't be trusted."

"I don't have to trust him," she protested, "But I do have to face him if I want to save Jinora and the others. There's no other way."

"There is," Tenzin insisted. "I'm calling your father. He can lead an expedition into the Spirit World from the southern portal."

The thought made Korra blanch. As much as she loved her family, becoming dependant on them after her injury had been difficult enough. Giving up now and letting her father do what she had failed to was too much. Besides, who knew how long that would take? She didn't want to leave Jinora trapped in that weird pod while somebody else cleaned up her mess.

"You've lost faith in me too, haven't you?" she asked, realizing how pathetic she must sound. "No one thinks I'm capable of anything anymore."

Korra looked away, back into the darkness of the Spirit Wilds behind her. She was hardly surprised that Mako wasn't coming to her defense. After all, he had just seen her panic attack in the pod chamber; why should he have any confidence in her?

"It's not that at all," Tenzin told her, but Korra knew better.

"I know I can do this," she insisted, digging deep within herself and drawing on whatever reserves of her old confidence she could find. If she didn't believe what she was saying, there was no way Tenzin would either.

Her words had some effect, though not the one she'd expected. Tenzin's shoulders slumped, and he sighed. "I'm just so worried for Jinora. I can't imagine what I'd do if something happened to you too."

"Tenzin, please." She put her hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'll be okay."

For a long moment, Tenzin said nothing, his eyes closed in thought, and when he opened them once more, he had made his decision. "Zaheer's imprisoned deep the mountains outside Republic City," he told her. "I'll call Raiko and get the clearance."

"Thank you." Korra put her arms around her mentor, giving him a long hug. She might have lost his faith, but at least he was giving her a chance to regain it. _I just have to make sure I'm worthy of it._

* * *

As wind sliced across her face, Asami squeezed the hand interlaced with her own a little tighter. Korra looked over at her, and Asami could see the anxiety in her eyes. Certainly, the location wasn't helping either of them to feel better. While the mountain valley containing Zaheer's prison was picturesque enough, the building itself was a crude, unsettling, thing, bent out of solid rock, and designed to awe anyone approaching it. Its towering double doors were flanked by a pair of guards in blue and white uniforms who stood aside as the portal slid open with a pained shriek of metal on stone.

"Are you sure that you're ready for this?" Asami asked as they walked towards the entrance.

"Yes," Korra told her, but there was a quiver in her voice, and she bent her head as she continued. "I've been feeling like Zaheer is this invincible monster. I think if I see him chained up, I'll finally realize that he's not a threat anymore."

"I understand." Asami gave Korra a smile. "I'm just worried, is all. I only just got you back."

Korra only partially succeeded in returning the smile. "And I want to be back. All the way back. I'm afraid if I don't face him now, I'll be running for the rest of my life."

The prison was no more pleasant inside than it had been outside. The lighting was dim, provided only by a series of lanterns, and the hallway was little more than a crude tunnel bent out of the stone. As they walked down it, Korra was keeping up a pensive silence, looking down at the floor.

Asami did nothing to break it, not sure how to make this easier for her lover. She knew why Korra felt she had to do this, and she supported her decision. But her new lover had been through so much pain already, and her emotional state was still fragile. It was why Asami had offered to come along with her to Zaheer's prison and why she was scared for her now.

The initial corridor led to an elevator, which bore them even deeper into the heart of the mountain. As they descended, Korra suddenly looked up at her, and now her eyes were hard. Asami could feel a slight surge in Korra's chi as well. It was a reminder of the Avatar's old power, and one that she could only hope boded well.

When the elevator doors opened, it was clear that Korra wasn't the only one who still feared Zaheer. Another thick stone door stood in their way, and four more uniformed guards were stationed in front of it. One of gave the women a respectful nod.

"Avatar Korra. We were told you'd be coming. Please approach the door."

Korra strode forward, but when Asami made to follow her, the Alpha shook her head. "No," she said, her voice quiet but determined. "Wait here."

Asami took hold of her arm. "You don't need to go in there alone. I'm here for you."

"I know." Korra turned and seized Asami in her arms, giving her a sudden, passionate kiss. The Omega could feel the tension in her lips, but her lover didn't change her mind. "And I wouldn't have made it this far without you. But I have to fight this battle myself.

It took every ounce of willpower she possessed, but Asami let go of Korra. "Then win it."

She stepped back, and once the Avatar was in front of the outer door, the guards raised their arms, bending it open. Korra walked through the portal, and as it closed behind her, Asami took a deep breath. She had done all that she could to help. The rest was in Korra's hands.

* * *

Only once the first door had closed behind her did Korra bend open the second one, a security precaution designed to make sure there was no chance for the person inside to escape unless they could also earthbend. _There's no chance of that,_ she told herself, but though her head knew that Zaheer would be well-secured, her heart couldn't quite believe there was no danger.

Inside, the prison only became more ominous. The light there was an eerie green, reminding Korra of the chamber Jinora and the other were trapped in. Aside from the lanterns that cast it, the room was entirely barren, distinguished only by the man at its center.

Zaheer looked little like she remembered him. Where once he had been bald and clean-shaven, now thick, grey hair fell down his back and shoulders, and a full beard covered his chin. He wore a simple black tunic and pants, and though he was bound, hand, foot, and waist in heavy chains, he hovered several feel above the ground in the lotus position with his eyes closed.

His aura, however, had barely changed. Even in his captivity, the other Alpha still radiated power. She could feel the urge to cower before him, or to flee, rising within her. The Alpha part of her soul had the opposite reaction. It growled at her to break his chains, and to face him in a fair fight, without the poison in her veins weakening her.

"I figured you would show up sooner or later," Zaheer told her when he took notice of her footsteps. "You must really be in trouble if you came all the way down here to see me."

The defiant part of her won out, at least for now. "I came here to look you in the eye and tell you that you have no power over me," she declared with a growl. "That I won't be scared of you anymore."

Zaheer's eyes widened at her words, and Korra could see a sudden madness burning in them. A crazed smile spread across his face, and without warning, he flew towards her.

 _The chains won't hold. He's coming for me again._

Korra felt as if his bending was around her throat already, cutting off her breath. She staggered backwards, gasping frantically in terror. And then Zaheer hit the limits of his bonds. He was yanked back in the direction he'd come from, laughing all the while. "I guess it didn't work. You still seem scarred."

Korra was shaking. Reality or dream, chained or free, it didn't matter. She couldn't face Zaheer. "This was a mistake," she muttered to herself as she turned and staggered towards the door.

"I know why you're here."

Zaheer's words touched a raw nerve and Korra stopped walking. "You don't know anything about me," she spat.

"You can't go into the Spirit World." She turned around, and her confusion must have been evident in her eyes, because Zaheer explained, "I spend most of my time in the Spirit World and it's well known that the Avatar's spirit hasn't been seen there for a few years."

She was incredulous. "You can meditate into the Spirit World? From here? This doesn't feel like a very spiritually charged place."

Zaheer laughed. "That's your problem. Republic City is full of spiritual energy thanks to you, and you can't even tap into it."

Her rage was rising higher with every word he spoke. All of the hurt she had suffered through over the last three years was thanks to this man. The pain, the loneliness, the weakness, everything. Kuvira had beaten and humiliated her, true, but that had only been possible because of Zaheer, and now he hovered there, mocking her. "No!" she screamed, stabbing her finger at him, "My problem is you! You poisoned me! You ruined me! People used to think I was unstoppable, but now they don't think I'm capable of anything."

Zaheer didn't respond to her anger, his expression remaining infuriatingly calm. In spite of the strength of his chi, she didn't feel him making any attempt to assert it. "Blaming me is a crutch to make yourself feel better. It's not helping you to recover." He turned away from her disdainfully.

Korra bowed her head, rage giving way to emptiness. It was Zaofu all over again. She had tried her utmost to do what she needed to, but once she was confronted with a real enemy, she folded. "I thought seeing you face to face would put an end to all of this," she said flatly. "But maybe it's time I realize I'll never be the same."

"Neither of us are the same as before," Zaheer replied. There was a sorrow behind his words that she hadn't expected to hear there. Monsters didn't feel those emotions. "I learned to fly but now I'm bound in chains. You have all the power in the world and the freedom to use it, but you choose to hold yourself down."

"I'm not holding myself down," she protested, "But my powers have limits. Now, more than ever."

That made Zaheer turn back towards her. "You're wrong. That poison should've killed you, but you were able to fight it off, to break free and drive back the entire Red Lotus long enough to escape. You say your power his limits; I say it's limitless."

Korra took two steps backwards, reeling not in fear this time, but in confusion. What Zaheer was saying sounded absurd. Could it really be true that all this time, she could've been more than a pathetic wreck? She wouldn't hear that, not from this man.

"Whatever," she said dismissively. "What do you know about anything? Before, you were always talking about chaos and freedom. But look what you did. You took out the Earth Queen and that created the worst dictator the Earth Kingdom has ever seen. Thanks for nothing!"

Now Zaheer's regret was palpable. She could feel the ebbing of his chi, pushed back not by chains but by the weight of his own actions. "I've heard rumors about Kuvira's rise, but I didn't know she'd achieved so much power already. If she's really taken over the Earth Kingdom, she needs to be stopped."

 _And now we're right back where we started._ "Well, I can't stop her unless I get over this block. You can feel my aura. I'm a shadow of what I used to be. What I need to be."

Zaheer nodded. "I think I can help you. Let me lead you into the Spirit World."

Korra shook her head in disbelief. "No way. You're the one who did this to me in the first place. I can't trust you."

"Maybe not. But if you had any other options, you wouldn't be here, now would you? We may have been enemies once, but for now, our interests align. Trust that. Trust in my hatred for tyrants."

It was a mad plan, but Zaheer was right. "I've come this far," she said by way of agreement. "What've I got to lose?"

 _You have Asami_ , her inner doubts reminded her, but deep down, Korra knew that not doing this was the surest way to lose her as well. Maybe Asami would stick with her in spite of her weakness, but Korra could never be truly happy as a shadow of her former self, and that would poison their relationship in the end.

Sitting down on the hard stone, she got into a meditative posture and exhaled, trying to settle her nerves. _I can do this. For Asami. For Republic City. For myself._

From across the room, she heard the calm, firm sound of Zaheer speaking once more. "Focus on the sound of my voice and clear your mind."

She closed her eyes, and did as he bade. That was the easy part. She could leave this world behind well enough. It was getting to the other one that was the problem.

Once more, it was the grim pillar of rock than confronted her when she opened her eyes. Once more, Zaheer hovered above her. Once more, his bending was wrapped around her head, stealing her breath away. She was chocking and her hands clawed at a prison she couldn't touch. She had to get out of the vision, to get back to the reality of her safe weakness.

Zaheer's voice didn't come from his mouth, but from some distant place beyond the battle that she was losing for the thousandth time. "Let it play out."

Her teeth were grinding against each other, her heart pounding like thunder. "I can't," she gasped with what little air she had left.

"You can. Accept what happened to you. Don't fear what might have been."

"I have no control," she stammered, flailing helplessly. The ground was collapsing beneath her, sending her tumbling into the endless nothing beneath, and yet back down into the pillar at the same time.

"Don't be afraid. Hold on."

 _I didn't die here_ , she suddenly realized, and at that thought, her mind stilled. There was pain, but she could endure pain. She'd survived this when it had really happened, and she could survive it again now. She exhaled, letting go of the breath she'd been fighting so desperately to cling to, and as soon as she did, she found that air could reach her lungs once more. The pillar grew ever larger beneath her as she fell, but she made no effort to avoid it. It wasn't real. She could strike it. She could strike it and she could live.

Her body crashed into the pillar, but it was the rock that gave way, not her. It smashed to pieces, and she realized that there was now ground beneath her once more. It was not the stone of the plateau but soft earth, and even through her closed eyelids, she could tell that the sky above her glimmered with a brilliant light.

Korra opened her eyes, and she saw that everything had turned to the most gorgeous colors. All around her, she could see a multiplicity of strange creatures flying and scampering, turning now to acknowledge her presence.

 _It's the spirits! The Spirit World! I'm really here again._ When she looked across the meadow, Zaheer stood before her. He wore no chains in this place, but the realization didn't fill her with fear. Not anymore.

"I made it," she said as she got back to her feet. "And you led me here. Do you know where Jinora and the others are?"

Zaheer shook his head. "No, but you do."

He was already fading away as he spoke, returning to his body, but she wasn't focused on that. In the depths of Korra's chest, she could feel a warm glow spreading, coming from someplace inside of her. It felt as if it had always been there but somehow, she just hadn't noticed its presence until now.

The light flared brighter, forming a pattern that she knew well across her chest, and a broad, full smile covered her face. "Raava." It was not a question. "I missed you. Where have you been?"

She could hear the spirit's voice echo in her own soul. _I have always been inside of you. You just forgot where to look._

But now she remembered. Raava hummed within her, and Korra was complete. She realized how long it had been since she felt that way, fully and truly. It was before even Zaheer's poisoning. Ever since she had fought Vaatu, ever since she had lost this connection, there had been a part of her missing. But now the ragged edges of her soul were smoothed and her chi burned brightly within her. The pain of the past still existed, true, but it was no longer an alien thing tearing her down. It was just a part of her, something that had hurt her and changed her, but something that she could learn from too. And it wouldn't stop her from doing what she had to.

"Can you help me find Jinora?" she asked Raava.

The response came in the form of a great wind, carrying Korra through forests and valleys, past rivers and mountain, until she came to a stop. She was back in the chamber in the wilds where Jinora and the others were trapped.

"How do I release their spirits?"

 _You must bend the energy within the pods._

"But I'm powerless in the Spirit World."

 _No_ , came the response, y _ou're most powerful here. In the Spirit World, you're connected to all of its energy._

Walking forward and closing her eyes, Korra touched the pod once more. She could feel its power, the connections that ran to the rest of the pods, to the vines, to the entire web that sustained this place. And it was tied to her as well. Her spirit took hold of the threads and with a simple tug, the whole net came undone. A golden light spread from one pod to the next, melting away the bonds that held the souls trapped inside of them.

Her eyes slid open and all around her, Korra saw the glow of the souls escaping, returning to their bodies. _I'm just like them now_. _Free_.

Asami felt what had happened before she saw it. Even before the doors of the prison slid open to reveal Korra, the change in her lover was clear. The warmth of her chi was an bonfire once more, pure, natural power that made Asami's knees shake and her heart soar with joy.

When Korra stepped out into the torchlight, Asami flew towards her, throwing her arms around her shoulders. The scent and sense of her Alpha was a more potent drug than any wine, and as their lips crashed together, Asami felt herself instantly drunk on it.

"Korra," she murmured into the kiss, "What happened? You're…"

The Avatar's hands threaded in her hair, coaxing Asami's head back to reveal her bare neck. "I feel whole again," she said. "I feel good."

Korra's teeth nipped at her pulse point, and against her thigh, Asami could feel a sudden swelling. In spite of the guards who were still around them, she couldn't stop herself from letting out a low, hungry moan. There could be no doubt about it: the Avatar was back.


	10. Chapter 10

**Well, I got quite a lot of requests to get this next chapter out soon, and here it is.**

* * *

As Korra's teeth raked along the length of her throat, Asami's legs began to tremble. Her first time with the Avatar had been wonderful, but it had also been complicated, nervousness and uncertainty mixed in with their pleasure. Not this time. Now, there was nothing to distract Asami from Korra, nor from the heat burning its way across her skin and coiling in her lower belly.

Nothing, that was, except the guards. At the same time Asami felt their stares on the back of her neck, Korra seemed to remember they were there. "Leave us," she growled.

"But our posts…" one of them protested.

"Zaheer is chained up in his prison. You'll be outside, making sure no one else comes in here. Now go."

The authority in her voice was enough to make the guards nod before retreating without further comment. Asami swallowed hard. She could feel the dominant force of Korra's spirit pressing against hers. They fit together perfectly, the outward push of the Alpha's aura matching the pull of her own chi and that connection only enhanced their attraction. Even as the guards were getting onto the elevator, Asami was tugging at hem of Korra's tunic, anxious to strip her bare.

Korra felt the same urge. Her fingers went through the buttons of Asami's coat one after another, throwing the garment open. The strength of her passion was overwhelming, and when Asami asked, "Here? Are you sure?" the question was perfunctory.

"I can't wait," Korra murmured, her teeth tugging on the Omega's earlobe. She sucked on the sensitive flesh before adding, "I mean, if you want me to stop, you know I would…"

"No." It was a strange setting to make love in, but the idea of Korra's body being taken away was too much. Asami took hold of the Alpha's shirt, yanking it up over her head and throwing it to the ground. Her breast band followed after it, and Asami caressed the firm orbs with her hands. The nipples were already stiff against her palms, and when she brushed her thumbs over them, she was rewarded with a low groan.

Korra was in just as much of a hurry, throwing off Asami's coat before moving on to her shirt and bra. Gone were the slow explorations of their previous night together. When the buttons took too long for Korra to undo, Asami just tore her shirt open, and as soon as her breasts were revealed, her Alpha bent down to nibble on them. The feel of her mouth was divine, her lips making Asami's skin tingle everywhere it touched, but all it did was make the growing ache between her legs more urgent.

In spite of the distraction, she managed to unbutton her pants, and when Korra noticed what she was doing, she yanked them down over Asami's hips. The front of her panties was already covered by a deep strain, and Korra ran her fingers over it. "Spirits, you're so wet," she breathed. "For me."

"For you," Asami repeated with a moan as her legs failed her. Strong arms held her up, and Asami dragged the tips of her breasts over her Alpha's chest, melting into her embrace.

Korra slid off Asami's panties before returning her hand to the Omega's sex. Asami's hips thrust forward seemingly of their own volition. She needed more, and Korra didn't deny her, pressing two fingers into her pussy and starting to explore. Asami's wetness was dripping down all over her digits, a flood that only increased when Korra pressed against her swollen front wall.

It was enough to make her whimper, and yet Asami still wanted more. She wanted to feel Korra's cock inside of her, and even through the fabric of the Alpha's trousers, she could feel it pressing against her thigh. Her hands were shaking with the force of her desire, but she managed to loosen the ties of Korra's pants, and when they were far enough open, she reached inside and cupped her erection.

"I see this is doing better." Her first touch was enough to make the organ jump against her palm, and she slid it up and down over the hot flesh. It was diamond hard, and thicker than any she'd felt before. "Much better."

"Oh 'Sami," Korra mumbled, her fingers sliding out of Asami. Their absence left the Omega empty, but she knew something better was going to take their place. "I need you. Need to be inside you."

"I want you there, Korra," she murmured. They staggered towards the side of the cavern, Asami kicking her pants off of her ankles as they went. The wall had been bent relatively smooth, but under other circumstances, it still would've been uncomfortable against her bare back. Not now. All that she could think about now was getting Korra into her.

Pulling her Alpha's lips to her, Asami drew her in for a hungry kiss. Without further delay, Korra yanked her pants and underwear down far enough to reveal the throbbing length of her cock. It pressed against Asami's belly, sliding up and down in a desperate search for more contact.

Asami leapt up into Korra's arms, wrapping her legs around the Alpha's back. The cockhead rubbed against her clit and Asami shuddered. This just felt so right. It was the connection she'd thirsted for all the long years apart, the one that none of the other Alphas she'd considered could match, and now she had it.

* * *

Asami's slickness was coating the underside of her shaft every time it slid over her sex, and already Korra could feel herself swelling. Drops of her own fluids were pooling at the tip of a cock that was hungry for release. It had been three years since her body had reacted properly to a mate, and it was feeling the lost time.

Taking hold of Asami's ass, Korra gritted her teeth as she searched for the concentration she needed to line herself up. Her Omega whimpered as the cock ran over her folds, and as soon as she had the angle, Asami's hips pushed down against her. She was so wet that it was no trouble for Korra to sink the first few inches past the muscle of her entrance and into her heat.

As the silky walls of Asami's pussy clamped down around her, Korra groaned. As wet as her lover was, she was still tight enough that the Alpha made sure to take her time. Not that she minded going slowly. This felt better than anything in the world, and for once, there was nothing else in her head. Only Asami mattered.

Once she was sheathed all the way to the base, she paused to savor the feeling, but only for a moment. Her need, their need, was too strong to wait any longer than that. She began to slide in and out of Asami, and though the first few strokes were slow, their pace rapidly increased. The Omega was fucking herself desperately against Korra's cock, and she responded in kind.

She buried her face in Asami's breasts, kissing and licking them as she thrust harder. The rhythm came so naturally to them, their auras meshing together like no one else Korra had ever mated with. This was who she was meant to be with. The sounds she drew out of Asami with each stroke were hotter than she could've dreamed, moans and gasps that made her never, ever want to stop.

Asami's fingers were dragging along her back and her heels dug into Korra's ass, pushing her even deeper inside. It was sheer bliss, but her legs were starting to burn with the strain of holding both of them up, and so she temporarily removed a hand from Asami's thighs. A flick of her wrists conjured up a cushion of air behind her lover, and when Asami relaxed back into it, Korra was able to cut loose entirely. Her hands were now free to roam all over the Omega's body, exploring every inch of her flushed skin as they made love.

"Fuck," Korra groaned as she stroked her lover's breasts, "You're so beautiful. And you feel so good…"

Asami couldn't muster the words to really respond, but the way she moaned Korra's name was more than enough. Everything about the Omega seemed designed to drive her insane. The curve of her long neck as it titled backwards. The way her sultry eyes fluttered open and closed every time Korra bottomed out inside her. The sight of her impressive breasts bouncing with each long stroke. And most especially the way the Omega's inner walls were fluttering and squeezing around her cock.

Her climax couldn't be held back much longer, and so Korra angled her body to better let her pelvis rub against Asami's clit while she took her. Her Omega tightened in response and her legs locked in place, barely letting Korra move at all. The Alpha made a few more short, hard thrusts, and on the third one, Asami's moans turned into a scream. Her head tipped back, and her eyes screwed shut as the pleasure overwhelmed her. Trickles of her fluid were pouring out from the place where they were joined, Asami's release so plentiful that even the thick cock inside of her couldn't keep it all there.

Korra bit her lip in a final effort to resist crashing over the edge as well, but the feel of Asami's warmth running down her legs was too intense. Her face tightened and she threw herself forward instead, loosening all of strength into fucking the gorgeous woman beneath her.

"Oh yes," Asami begged, her voice hungry and desperate, "Do it, Korra. Fill me."

That was what she wanted. Her body was crying out for her to bury herself all the way to the hilt inside the Omega, to pump her full of her come. If only she could.

* * *

Asami was still trembling with the force of her orgasm when, without warning, Korra pulled out of her. Her body felt painfully empty without her Alpha's shaft filling her, and she whimpered, "Korra, please. Go back inside."

"Can't," the Avatar groaned, "Wanna, but…" Korra's voice was broken, but her hips kept moving. She was unmistakably on the edge of her own climax, and as much as Asami missed the feel of Korra inside of her, she desperately wanted that too. Her fingers dug into the hard muscles of Korra's back, urging her onward, and seconds later, the Alpha went stiff. Jets of her come started pouring out of her cock, splashing over Asami's folds, her stomach, and even reaching as high as the underside of her breasts. The warm fluid felt good against her skin, but more than that, it was as if Korra was marking her as her own, and that thought drove Asami wild.

The head of the Alpha's cock caught on her clit, and Asami collapsed into a second, unexpected orgasm. Her body shivered afresh and her pussy clenched around nothing, spilling out even more of her release to coat Korra's thighs. The Alpha's climax wasn't stopping either. Her hips kept pumping desperately against Asami's slick abdomen, covering it utterly, and though her blue eyes were half-shut, they stayed fixed on Asami's face. They were filled with utter, unrestrained ecstasy, and even through her own pleasure, Asami's heart swelled to see it there.

As her pleasure ebbed, Asami collapsed back into the softness of the air cushion behind her. "Oh, Korra," she mumbled as the Alpha slumped down on top of her. "I love you."

"Love you too, 'Sami," Korra panted, "So much."

"Mm, that's good." She buried her face in the side of Korra's neck, pushing aside her hair so that she could nibble on the sweaty skin. "But why… Why did you…" Words were still hard to find, so she reached down in between them and wrapped her hand around the Alpha's come-soaked shaft.

Korra gasped at the renewed pressure. "I… Didn't wanna get you pregnant. I mean, that wouldn't be a good idea, right?"

Asami's mind raced at the question, and her own failure to consider of it earlier. _I was too drunk on Korra. Spirits help me, right then I think I wanted her to impregnate me. It wouldn't have made any sense. We just got together, we're in the middle of this massive crisis, and yet, the bond was so powerful that it felt right._

"No, I guess not," she finally agreed. "Thank you for keeping your head, Korra. It seems like I lost mine.

"It wasn't easy." That goofy smile was covering the Alpha's face, a look of pure, uncomplicated happiness. "You felt soooo good around me."

"And you... She leaned up and kissed Korra's lips softly. "You felt wonderful inside me. And against my skin." She accompanied the words with a little squeeze of Korra's cock, pleased to feel that it was still fairly hard in her palm.

"What's this?" she asked playfully. "Aren't you done yet?" She ran her other hand through the sticky fluid that covered her torso. "I mean, look at the mess you made already."

The way Korra throbbed at her words was very satisfying, as was the chocked gasp that escaped her throat. "It's you. The stuff you do to me…"

"Well, if I'm responsible for this problem, then I guess I should take care of it for you."

Asami slid out of the air cushion, setting down in front of Korra. The ground was a bit uneven, but fortunately she was tall enough that she could sit instead of having to be on her knees for this. She took hold of Korra's slick cock once more and started pumping it slowly, enjoying the sight of it swelling back to its full length.

"You, you don't have to do that," Korra mumbled. "I mean, I already came pretty hard."

"I know." Asami leaned in and placed a soft kiss on the cockhead. "But I want to. After all, I should thank you for saving me from myself before."

"Uh huh," Korra gasped, not exactly equipped for complex debate right then.

"Don't you think that merits a reward?"

Korra's hesitation was adorable. "Um, yeah?" she mumbled.

"That's what I thought."

This time, the kiss Asami planted on the tip lingered longer, and when Korra's hips pushed forward, she parted her lips to let several inches slide between them. Her Alpha tasted a little different now that her body was responding properly. Her flavor was thicker and richer, and though Asami still wanted it to fill up her pussy, the thought of it shooting down her throat was delicious too.

It probably wouldn't take much to get Korra there. She was still intensely sensitive from her earlier climax, grunting with pleasure when Asami's head bobbed down, and letting out little chocked sounds every time she pulled back. One of her hands buried itself in the Omega's hair, stroking it affectionately, while the other was bracing herself against the wall of the cavern. Asami liked the thought that she was making those strong legs tremble and her fingers gripped the firm swell of Korra's ass, coaxing her cock further into her mouth.

Her Alpha had been too considerate to demand that, but she clearly liked it, letting out a groan as Asami relaxed her throat to allow her deeper. Korra had earned the pleasure of this next climax, and Asami liked to think that she had earned the opportunity to enjoy it fully.

* * *

Korra' need was rising faster than she could believe given how recently she'd already come, but it wasn't her fault. The feeling of Asami working her cock was irresistible, and almost as good was the erotic sight of her lover doing it.

But despite the fact that Asami was on the ground naked beneath her, Korra realized that the one thing she didn't seem in the slightest was weak. Some part of her had always thought of Omegas that way, had thought that there was something slightly embarrassing about bottoming. It was okay for them, sure, but not for someone powerful like the Avatar; submitting to Kuvira instead of the other way around had been a sign of just how low Korra had fallen.

Right now though, in spite of her seeming submission, Asami was quite in control of their situation. It was the heat of her mouth that made Korra moan, the flick of her tongue along the length of the shaft the made her knees buckle, the suction she applied to the head that…

That last feeling was too much for the Alpha to keep up her train of thought. Instead, she leaned back, giving herself over fully to the moment. The soft pull of the Omega's chi was drawing her in, and even with Asami currently unable to speak, there was no doubt how much she wanted to feel Korra's enjoyment of her ministrations.

 _And Spirits, there's so much for her to feel._ No one had ever pleasured her better. Asami had pulled back so that only the head was inside her mouth, and while she suckled gently on it, her hand wrapped around the base of Korra's shaft and started pumping. The combination of the soft, wet heat, and the more intense pressure of Asami's strokes was too much for Korra to told out against for long.

"'Sami," she murmured over and over again, rocking helplessly into the Omega's mouth. "So good, so damn…"

Her words faded as Asami gave the head a harder suck, and Korra thrust forward, no longer able to fully control her hips. Her climax shot through her like a bolt of lighting, running up her spine and down the length of her shaft. Over and over it pulsed, and Asami took it all. She drew Korra deeper into that wonderful mouth once more, running her tongue up and down the underside of the Alpha's erection in an effort to draw out every last drop of come that the she had to give.

By the time she was done, Korra's cock was so sensitive that the touch of Asami's tongue almost hurt. A strangled sound came from deep in her throat and the Omega pulled off, placing a final, soft kiss on the tip. Korra's legs had turned completely to jelly by then and she slumped down onto the floor of the cavern. She didn't mind the hard rock beneath her though. Asami was there waiting for her, falling into Korra's arms, and when their lips came together, she could taste residue of her release there. It was a reminder of her Omega's care, and she gushed, "Wow, that was…"

"I know." Asami nuzzled against her breasts, planting lazy kisses there even while she purred happily. "It was wonderful. Almost everything I dreamed it would be. There's just one thing I'd change for next time."

"The stone floor?"

Asami smiled. "Maybe two."

"What's the other one?"

Asami's voice dropped an octave. "Before our next time, I'm going to get suppressants, and when you come, you can fill me up. Over and over again, until you're utterly and completely spent. How does that sound?"

Her words managed to make Korra's soft cock twitch once more, but she was too thoroughly drained for it to do more than that. Still, she did give Asami's ass a little squeeze. "Very, very good."

"Wonderful." Asami settled down on top of Korra. Her lover was sweaty and thoroughly sticky, but the Alpha couldn't have cared less. Wherever they were, whatever state they were in, this was who she wanted to be with.

"So what happened in there with Zaheer?" Asami asked. "Because clearly it worked wonders."

"It's kind of hard to explain. At first I was really freaked out by seeing him again, but… It's weird, but he decided to help me. I don't think he's any happier about Kuvira taking over the Earth Kingdom than we are."

"So, do you think you're finally able to forget about what he did to you?"

Korra shook her head. "No. But that's not what I needed. When we meditated together, I was finally able to accept what happened. I think making peace with it is going to make me stronger. It definitely helped me get back into the Spirit World, and to, uh, take care of my other problem."

"It did do that." Asami ran her hand affectionately over the curve of Korra's hip, teasing the edge of her groin. "And I'm assuming that while you were there, you rescued Jinora and the others from those pods. Otherwise, we would've had to rush out of here a lot faster."

"Mm hmm," Korra agreed, caressing her lover's back. "And that really would've been too bad."

Asami's arms squeezed tighter around her. "I'm so proud of you, Korra. You've come so far these last few days."

Korra's voice began to choke as she tried to reply. "I don't think I could've done it without your help, Asami. You were the one who never gave up on me."

Asami brushed back the happy tears that were starting to form in Korra's eyes. "It was my pleasure."

"Mine too," Korra laughed. Her whole body still tingled pleasantly, to say nothing of the warm glow in her heart. When she had staggered back into Republic City alone and at the point of collapse, she never could've imagined that only a few days later, she would be even a fraction this happy. If only there wasn't that pesky invasion to deal with, everything would be perfect.

"Listen," she said reluctantly, "I wish we could stay here forever, but even with Jinora safe, there's still a lot to do. I should probably check in with Tenzin, and Kuvira's still coming, so…"

"I know. Plus this isn't really the most comfortable place to sleep."

Asami's back arched as she rose, affording Korra a lovely view of her bare chest. It was quite the inspiring sight, and even though the Alpha's clit had already begun to shift back down to its regular shape and size, she still felt a twitch of uncomplicated desire between her legs. Whatever Kuvira was planning, now Korra could deal with it as a whole Avatar, not the broken shadow she'd let herself become for a time.


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry for the long break on this story. My new collab with Rae, Bonds of Metal, has been eating up a lot of my time, plus work has taken some more, but I'm back now.**

* * *

"So, you didn't have any luck talking with the spirits?"

In response to Asami's question, Korra sighed. "No, they said they weren't going to take sides in a human conflict. I tried explaining that Kuvira was a threat to them too, what with all that stuff she's been doing to the Spirit Vines, but it didn't help."

Asami stood up from her desk, setting down the production orders she'd been looking through. Her arms wrapped around Korra instead and she kissed her mate's cheek. Korra looked all right, but after everything she'd been through, Asami wasn't going to take any chances with her mental state. "I'm sure you did your best."

"Thanks. It's only… I don't know. I guess that after what happened with Zaheer and getting my chi realigned properly, some part of me hoped that everything else would just fall into place. Sadly, life usually isn't that simple." She cupped Asami's face in her hand, and giving her a long, lingering kiss. "But don't worry, I'm not going to fall apart again. This plan didn't work out, but we'll think of something else. What about you? How did everything go with Varrick today?"

"Well enough," Asami said with wry smile. She didn't like working with the eccentric inventor, given his past attempt to take over her company, but they couldn't afford to pass up the help of someone with his genius. "We've almost got production on the hummingbird suits started. The first batch should be up and running before Kuvira's army gets here." Asami shook her head. "She shouldn't have let you know what she was planning. The advance warning is going to be a big help."

"I don't think she realized I'd actually make it here to warn everyone. She thought… " Korra's voice trailed off. "She thought I was broken."

Asami's heart quivered at the reminder of what had happened to her alpha, and she pulled her closer. "Korra, you weren't…"

"I almost was. You saw the state I was in that first night. If you hadn't been there to catch me, I don't know what would've…"

"But I was." She kissed Korra softly. "And I always want to be. But don't forget Korra; you made it back here without me. She underestimated you."

"Yeah. She did." Korra straightened up, flexing the strong muscles of her shoulders. "And she's going to pay for that. As well as for taking over Zaofu, and all of the other stuff she's done."

Korra's fists clenched as she spoke, and a strong pulse rolled off of her chi. It was an assertion of dominance, not over Asami but over her own doubts and fears. It's power was enough to send a pleasant shiver down Asami's spine. It was stunning how far Korra had come and maybe that meant she was ready to answer the question that had been nagging at Asami for some time now.

"Korra, can I ask you something?" She gave her alpha's shoulder a squeeze. "About what happened with Kuvira at Zaofu?"

Korra smiled as if there was no problem, but even though she said, "Sure. Anything," Asami could still see a flicker of doubt in her eyes.

"Why don't we sit down?" she asked Korra and the two of them settled on Asami's bed. She took the alpha's hand in her own, relieved that her pulse didn't seem to be racing too fast.

"When we had sex outside Zaheer's prison, you pulled out just before you came," she began. Korra's face flushed, and Asami knew that hers must be doing the same. As much as she'd wanted to feel her alpha filling her, the warmth of Korra's release on her skin was still a delicious memory. Unfortunately, it wasn't what Asami had to ask about, and so she forced her mind out of the gutter and continued, "Anyway, it made me think. With Kuvira, did she do the same thing?"

* * *

Korra bit her lip, her composure momentarily shaken by Asami's question. The memory of being stretched by Kuvira's thick member was all too vivid; the way her clit had trembled as it was pinched, how she'd shuddered with her own climax even as the other alpha filled her. It still disgusted Korra that she had sunk so low as to beg the dictator to do that to her, but she took a long breath and let the feeling drain away. It was like the battle against Zaheer; she couldn't change what had happened, but she could accept it, and remember that she'd come out the other side.

"No, she… She didn't," Korra admitted. "But I think I know where you're going with this. So, when I was on my way to Republic City, I got worried, but Kuvira didn't knock me up. Female alphas aren't that fertile in the first place, and if I was pregnant, there'd be a change in my chi. It kind of locks you in place, and makes you unable to be a regular alpha until after you give birth, but even when I couldn't change, it didn't feel like I was blocked. It was my heart, not my spirit that wasn't right. It know it's hard to explain, but..."

Asami sighed, relief clear on her face. "No, that makes sense. And I'm glad to hear it. Whatever had happened, we would've dealt with it, but I can't pretend this isn't better than the alternative."

"Yeah," Korra agreed, "Getting knocked up by Kuvira wouldn't exactly be a big plus."

"I have to admit," Asami added, "I didn't know those things about female alphas and pregnancy."

"Well, relationships between two alphas are pretty rare. I only know it because, um…" Her voice trailed off and she blushed. "When I was a teenager, exploring my Avatar memories, I might have gone looking for some of the dirtier ones."

The tension of the conversation broke and Asami laughed. "I imagine that would be a temptation, being a teenager with access to all those past lives' experiences."

"Yeah, it definitely was." A goofy smile appeared on Korra's face. "I learned a lot. Some of it I even wanted to know."

Asami smiled back at her, guiding the two of them further down onto the bed. Her weight now rested on top of Korra, and the sweet, gentle pull of her aura sent a soothing warmth through the alpha's whole body. In that moment, only the two of them felt real, politics and war ebbing away.

It shouldn't have been a surprise that this relationship had developed so quickly, that she already felt so comfortable being with Asami. They'd been friends for a long time, and in a lot of ways, being in love with each other was a lot simpler than some of the other situations they'd been in. And yet, it was still amazing to Korra quite how much she felt, and how soon she felt it.

 _I think maybe I fell for her a long time ago_ , she realized. _And I just didn't admit it fully until now._

"So, speaking of not getting pregnant," Asami teased, nuzzling her face into the crook of Korra's neck. "After work, I called my doctor and she said that I should be able to pick up my prescription in a couple of days. And then…"

"Oh, yeah. Definitely, 'And then…'" Korra's heart beat faster at the implication. As incredible as their lovemaking in the cave had been, the urge to come inside Asami was powerful, and pulling out had taken every ounce of willpower she'd possessed. Knowing that soon she wouldn't have to sent a thrill straight to her clit, and it twitched, even while her chi flared.

It's energy wrapped around Asami, trying to assert her claim on the omega, and the force of it was enough to draw out a long, low purr. "Seems someone doesn't want to wait those few days."

"Why? Do you?" Korra accompanied the question with a squeeze of Asami's ass, and the omega rewarded her with a very satisfying squeak.

"No," Asami admitted, now gasping for breath.

Korra's hand returned to Asami's rear, but this time, she moved more slowly, trailing it down the shapely curve and towards her inner thigh. "Well then, I guess we'll just have to find some way to keep ourselves busy until that prescription gets here."

Asami nuzzled in closer and her tongue found the outer ridge of the Avatar's ear. "I can think of a few. What me to show you?"

"Oh, yes."

* * *

Bolin stretched out his arms and threw his legs up on his the ottoman, seeming quite relaxed. His apartment might have been a mess, unsurprising given the fact that he was just moving back into it after a long absence, but the chairs were at least comfortable.

"So, you and Asami, huh?"

There was an amused smile on the omega's face and Korra couldn't help but return it. Even thinking about her new mate was enough to make her a little giddy. "Yup, me and Asami."

"Knew it. Back in Raiko's office, I totally noticed how you two were looking at each other." Korra shot him a skeptical look, and he backpedaled. "Okay, mostly I noticed how everybody wanted to kill me and Varrick, but somewhere in there, I kinda caught a vibe."

"Yeah, you might have," she admitted. "It's been…. kind of a whirlwind since I got back."

"Well, you look really happy."

"I am. It's a crazy time with this invasion and everything, but I still feel like I'm on top of the world. Mostly, I'm just wondering why it took me so long to figure out that this the right thing to do. Asami kinda had to beat me over the head to make me see she was into me."

"It's no big surprise you were a little slow on the uptake," Bolin declared smugly. "You and Mako were pretty clueless too. Not like me. I've got everything figured out with me and Opal."

"Doesn't she hate you because you were working with Kuvira to take over her mother's city?"

"And I've totally figured that out now," Bolin agreed without blinking. "But I'm not with Kuvira anymore, so things should be good now. Opal will definitely forgive me."

Korra wasn't biting. She knew Bolin's bravado too well to be fooled by it, and so she put back on her skeptical glare until the facade cracked. "She will forgive me, right?" was followed by, "You've gotta help me, Korra. I mean, you got Asami to forgive you for disappearing for three years, so there's gotta be some kind of a trick for it."

She shrugged. "Sorry, Bolin. I don't think you can _trick_ someone into forgiving you. Asami just…" Korra paused, thinking again about how lucky she was. "Asami wasn't really mad at me at the first place. She was just glad I was back."

"Yeah, me too," Bolin agreed. "Isn't that right, Pabu? Isn't it great to see Korra again?"

The ferret understandably didn't reply, instead just scampering up Bolin's arm and curling around his neck. Korra laughed. "It's good to see you too. Both of you."

Pabu let out a pleased squawk and Bolin added, "Yeah, we've finally got the whole gang back together. Kuvira definitely doesn't stand a chance. I just wish I hadn't been dumb enough to team up with her before. Then maybe I wouldn't have blown things up so badly with Opal."

Bolin's head drooped and Korra could see how despondent he was over the collapse of his relationship. She was a little surprised; in the past, the omega had flitted from one infatuation or semi-serious involvement to the next quickly enough, but it was clear this time was different. Now, Bolin really did need her help.

"You've gotta do something," Korra told him.

"Yeah, but what? I've already said I'm sorry like a million times and she's still giving me the stink eye."

"No, I mean _do_ something. It doesn't matter how badly I feel about running away from my responsibilities as the Avatar. My regrets don't change anything. What I have to do now is help stop Kuvira and save the city. That's what's going to make people respect me again. Opal wants to see that you're trying to make amends for working with Kuvira, and not just telling her that you messed up. I'm not sure what exactly it should be, but you should try and find some way to help."

Bolin brightened immediately, leaping up from his chair so fast that Pabu landed in an undignified heap on the ground. "Thanks, Korra," he gushed, giving her a quick but enthusiastic hug before making for the door of his apartment. "I think I've got an idea. Next time you see me, I'll have put all of this right."

"I hope so," Korra told him as he left. _And I hope I'll be able to do the same._ In the battle ahead, everyone would have to pitch in, but she was the one people were going to be counting on to take the lead in stopping Kuvira. It wasn't a fact that she was afraid of anymore, but that didn't mean it was going to be easy either.


	12. Chapter 12

Only the grunting of their sky bison broke the calm of the morning, but that didn't mean that the passengers aboard it were still. While Korra held the reins, the rest of them scanned the verdant countryside spread out beneath them in search of their quarry. Asami wasn't used to flying this way, but there was a something exhilarating about not being inside the relatively safe confines of an airship but instead exposed to the open sky. Some day, when all of this was over, she'd have to get Korra to take her out on the bison again, just the two of them.

It was Bolin, peering through a somewhat comical telescope, who first caught a glimpse. He gasped, pointing in the direction of the valley floor. "Hey, guys, I see something! Down there!"

Asami turned her gaze where the earthbender indicated. The soldiers were like specs from so great a height, but there so many of them that they were still easy to pick out as they marched from behind the concealing height of one of the mountains, accompanied by platoons of mecha suits. "Is that…"

"It's Kuvira's army," Korra said, finishing her sentence. "She's already crossed into United Republic territory. She's a week early."

Mako narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "That doesn't make any sense. There aren't any train tracks this way. How are they transporting that super weapon?"

His answer arrived soon enough, though Asami wished that it hadn't. Made of solid metal, the mecha stood two hundred feet tall at least, dwarfing the rest of Kuvira's forces as it came into view. Asami had never seen a war machine on anything like that scale, but in spite of its size, what might have been most troubling was that a massive canon was affixed to its right arm.

"Apparently on a giant mecha suit," Korra said, the shock evident in her voice.

Mako turned to his brother. "Did you know Kuvira was building that thing?"

"Oh, did I forget to mention it?" Bolin replied indignantly. He threw up his arms in an exaggerated gesture of frustration. "No, of course I didn't know."

"Well, we know now," Korra snapped, clearly not in the mood for their bickering. "The question is, what are we going to do about…"

Her words trailed off as the mecha turned in the direction, its canon arm rising. A brilliant pink glow formed at the tip of the barrel, and Asami's natural inclination was to scoff. It seemed inconceivable that they could be attacked from this distance, and yet, Kuvira wasn't given to empty gestures.

"I know what happens next," Bolin screamed, confirming her worst fears. "We gotta get outta here now! Now!"

Korra yanked on the reins and Asami had to hold fast to the saddle as the bison turned sharply. A second later, a lance of pure energy blasted in their direction, raw power of a kind she had never encountered before. The bison dove and the beam missed, but only by a couple of meters. It was close enough that she could feel the heat of the weapon on her face, painful in its intensity.

"Fly faster!" Bolin screamed, while Asami silently willed the same thing. Ahead, the welcoming safety of another mountain beckoned, but the mecha was already turning in their new direction, re-aiming its canon . Asami's heart pounded against her ribs, fear clutching at her heart. That exposure to the open air that had been so pleasant had become nothing but vulnerability, one that she was helpless to do anything about except hope that they would make it in time.

The glow of a second shot was already starting to appear around the barrel by the time they reached the mountain, but they did reach it. The air bison banked hard and they ducked behind its welcoming shelter as the canon fired again. To Asami's horror, the very top of the mountain _exploded_ as the blast struck home, sending a shower of dusty and smoke up into the air, but at least it was stopped.

"Spirits," she breathed as they turned once more, Korra setting a course back to Republic City. The mecha was receding from view, perhaps finally out of range, and it seemed that they were safe. But only for now. In the face of power like that, Asami wasn't sure that anywhere was truly safe, least of all Republic City.

* * *

As their air bison circled down, Korra could see a crowd gathered in the plaza below to meet them. President Raiko and Lin, Tenzin and several of the other airbenders, Suyin and her sons; everyone they needed to talk to was there. If only Korra had better news to bring them. In spite of her renewed confidence in her abilities, she was shaken by what they had just seen. She had always known she would have to face Kuvira again, but she hadn't counted on the other alpha having picked up a gigantic mecha with a death ray in the meantime.

She climbed off of the bison, and no sooner had she hit the ground then Tenzin blurted out, "Korra! Are you all right? Why are you back so soon?"

Korra put on her bravest face. She might be worried, but that didn't mean she could waiver. Whatever her past failures, Republic City was in danger and she was the Avatar. That was all that mattered. "It's Kuvira," she said, forcing herself to be calm. "Our intel was wrong. She must have known Zhu Li had brought us the information about her timetable and accelerated her plans."

President Raiko's eyes widened. "What are you trying to say?"

Korra had to resist the urge to scoff. If there was one thing she had learned in her years dealing with the man, it was that you couldn't count on him to keep his head in a crisis. "I'm saying that Kuvira's army is about a day away."

Tenzin shook his head. "We're just lucky you warned us she was coming earlier, Korra. I don't know that we're ready for this attack, but we're closer than we would've been otherwise. Pema and Wu have evacuated most of the civilians and our forces are already partially mobilized."

"It's gonna be hard to be ready for this. That spirit weapon of hers is attached to a giant mecha suit. It's over 25 stories tall and heavily armored."

"Yeah, and really mean looking," Bolin agreed. "We're gonna need everyone working together to even have a chance to take that thing down."

Raiko turned to Lin "Chief Beifong, get General Iroh on the line and tell him the attack is happening tomorrow. We'll need his soldiers sooner than we expected."

"What should the rest of us do?" Bolin asked.

"We can go to my factory and oversee the deployment of the hummingbird suits," Asami offered. "The first batch should be up and running, but I want to do a few finals tests before we send them out to the troops."

Korra intended to say, "I'll head to the front lines," but before she could get past the first word, she felt Asami's hand take hers. The meaning was clear and she instead finished, "Come with you." If Asami needed her, that was where she was going to be.

* * *

"I feel like there's still something else I should go back out and do."

Korra paced back and forth across the floor of the living room, trying to settle her nervous energy. They had seen to the hummingbird suits, spoken with the troop commanders about their deployments, and made sure the last of the civilians were evacuated, but Korra remained restless.

Asami came up behind her, her hand coming to rest on Korra's shoulder. "We're as ready as we're going to be, sweetheart. Worrying isn't going to help anything."

"But what about…"

"Korra, stop." A second hand joined the first, this one wrapping around Korra's waist and resting on her stomach. "I know how badly you want to get this right, but you've done all you can, at least until the invasion actually starts. And right now, I need you to be here with me."

Korra could hear the quiver in her omega's voice. All day, she'd sensed that tension, and now she turned in her arms so that she could try to kiss it away. Asami's lips were soft and welcoming, and her chi drew Korra in deeper with its warmth. "I am here," she whispered when their lips finally drew apart. "You know there's nowhere I'd rather be than with you."

"I do…" Asami's voice trailed off and she buried her face in Korra's shoulder. She'd been so strong since Korra's return to Republic City and her uncertainly now was surprising.

"What is it?" Korra asked. "Kuvira's invasion?" Her fingers tangled in Asami's dark locks, and she strengthened her own chi, doing her best to convey silent reassurance until the omega was ready to answer.

"Yes," Asami finally said. "I know you've gotten your confidence back. And I believe in you. It's just… I've never seen anything like the mecha Kuvira has. That canon knocked off the top of a mountain like it was nothing."

"I'm not giving up, Asami," she insisted. "I know it's scary. It scared me too. But I have to find some way to stop it, no matter what."

"That's my Avatar." Asami tilted her head, catching Korra's lips. It was a sweet moment, but a brief one, as she pulled back once more to continue. "I waited three years for you, Korra. I know you didn't ask me to, but I did, because you're the only mate I want. And now we're going to have to fight that thing and the thought of something happening to you scares me more than I was ready for."

"'Sami." She whispered the word almost like a prayer. Her head dipped to kiss away the tears that were forming in the corners of Asami's eyes. "I don't want to lose you either. When I had nothing and I was ready to give up, you gave me the strength to keep trying. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, but I can tell you that I'll fight with everything I've got to stay here with you."

Asami's hand brushed over her cheek. "That's all I can ask for. That, and for you to stay here tonight." She forced a smile onto her face. "After all, who else is going to make sure you get your rest before the battle tomorrow?"

"Nobody." Korra smiled back, her joy at being with the woman she loved shining through her fears and doubts. "Just you."

"Then take me upstairs. Please."

Though she suspected Asami had more than rest in mind, Korra didn't have to be asked twice. She took Asami's hand and the two of them made their way towards the bedroom. The reminder of those three long years apart spurred Korra to move quickly. She'd wasted so much time that could've been spent with Asami wallowing in self-pity, and she wouldn't squander another second of a night that could be their last.

As they climbed the stairs, she could feel the fire of Asami's chi washing over her own, inflaming her desire more with every passing second. Just being near her mate was a delight, anticipation and proximity stimulating her even when only their hands were touching.

By the time they made it to the bedroom, Korra could already feel her clit stirring with the beginnings of her change, and as they crashed through the doorway, she kissed Asami hard. The omega's body felt so good in her arms, and even while they stumbled towards the bed, she began tugging at their clothes in an effort to get down to bare skin. This wasn't the frenzied rush of their lovemaking in the cave, but it wasn't slow either. Neither of them wanted to wait too long for what they needed. For each other.

She slid off Asami's coat, and while the omega undid the buttons of her own shirt and unhooked her bra, Korra stroked the creamy skin that was revealed. She wanted to memorize every detail of this night, to make it a treasure she could carry with her no matter what happened next. Her lips visited first one breast and then the other, and each moan she drew out was another jewel for her to enjoy. Pink nipples strained against her tongue and she licked them eagerly, at least until Asami decided to return the favor.

The omega peeled Korra's shirt up over her head and unwrapped her breast band before kneeling down so that she could kiss her way down the plane of her stomach. Asami lavished attention on each curve and dip, and by the time she reached the laces of Korra's pants, the cock beneath them was fully erect, straining with the desire for release from its confinement.

Asami didn't grant it though. Instead, she stood back up and her next kiss was gentle, accompanied by a retreat of her chi's heat. "Korra, I have to ask you for something."

Korra swallowed hard, trying her restrain her own, inflamed desire. "Anything. What is it?"

"When we…" Asami hesitated, guiding them towards the bed while she found her words. They sat down together, and Asami nuzzled up close to her, resting her head on Korra's shoulder. The dark waves of her hair fell over Korra's face, tickling the skin, but she enjoyed the sensation. "When we make love," Asami started again, "Stay inside me. Don't pull out."

'Sami…" Korra tilted her head, returning the earlier, gentle kiss she'd been given. Her cock throbbed almost painfully at the thought, and yet… "Your meds haven't come yet, haven't they?"

"No, they've haven't," Asami admitted. "My doctor's evacuated the city along with everyone else." Her smile was nervous, but behind that anxiousness, Korra could see hunger as well. "But I still want you to finish inside of me."

"Are you sure? What if…"

Asami's hands wrapped around her face, and she kissed Korra again, but there was more heat there now. "If I die, then it doesn't matter. And if we make it through… I know things have happened fast with us, but I want to be your mate forever. I want to have a family with you, Korra, and if that begins tonight, then that's okay with me if it's okay with you."

Korra's heart swelled in her chest. Asami was right. It _was_ sudden, and yet, as she pictured the idea of a future mated to the engineer, raising their children together, she knew it was what she wanted as well. She had known Asami for years, trusted her without hesitation, and loved her without reservation. There was only one more question she had to ask.

"What if you're the only one who makes it, Asami? What if you get pregnant, and I'm not there anymore?"

The question brought a tear to Asami's eye, but her voice was still clear when she answered. "Then I'll still have a piece of you with me, and I'll love that child as much as I love you."

Korra didn't trust her words at that moment so she just replied with another kiss. She drew Asami deep into her embrace, and the two of them dropped down together, their bare chests pressing together. Asami's chi had flared once more, brighter than before, and Korra's responded, enveloping her omega with the power of her aura. The thought of claiming Asami fully, of filling her, of perhaps making a child with her, stirred every primal instinct within Korra. She wanted this, wanted it with an intensity, a _need_ that she hadn't realized was in her until that moment.

Asami's hips were grinding against her, and even through the layers of clothing, the contact made Korra's cock pulse. Now that this was real, she needed to be inside Asami _immediately_. She made swift work of her own pants, and when her length sprang out, her omega wrapped her long fingers around it.

"You're so hard," Asami whispered huskily, brushing her thumb across the swollen head and coming away with a drop of silky fluid.

"For you, 'Sami. All of it, all of me."

Korra set to work on Asami's pants as well, though it wasn't easy to get the buttons undone with the way that the omega's hand kept gliding along the shaft. Somehow, though, she managed, and once she slid off Asami's pants and underwear, Korra gasped at the sight of glistening pinkness beneath them. Her fingers dragged through the folds and came back covered in slick liquid that she pressed up to her lips for a taste.

"And that's for you, Korra." Asami turned onto her back, gently guiding Korra to lay on top of her. Korra angled her hips so that the tip nudged Asami's clit, drawing a moan out of her lover. She made a few more passes through the slick folds, and by the third one, Asami's voice cracked. " _Please_ , Korra. I need you in me."

Another time, Korra would've worried about the lack of foreplay, but the underside of her shaft was already coated in wetness. With the way Asami's hips were bucking in a desperate attempt to take her inside, not being ready definitely wasn't a problem. Her lips caught Asami's once again, and while Korra drank in the desire of their kiss, her hips slid upwards, the broad head of her cock pressing against Asami's entrance.

Every inch that she buried inside surrounded her with more velvety bliss. Asami's hands were on her back, urging her to continue, and it was an invitation she couldn't refuse. Once was Korra was buried to the hilt, the omega beneath her let out a sigh, a sound that mixed desire and relief. Asami's inner walls pulsed around the shaft, and the warmth of her chi was a sea that Korra could lose herself in without a single regret.

 _This is where I belong_ , she thought as he hand brushed back Asami's dark hair so that she could take in all of her beauty, _Where I've always belonged_.

* * *

 **Those familiar with the show may have noted the good guys have a little more time than they did there before Kuvira's army arrives. That's because of Korra's warning, leading all of their preparations to begin earlier.**


	13. Chapter 13

Korra's first thrusts were slow, but in spite of the aching need between her legs, Asami didn't make any attempt to increase the tempo. There was so much warmth shining in her mate's blue eyes, and Asami knew it was right to take their time. This night was special. When she'd first decided to ask Korra to come inside of her, Asami had worried that she was prizing a moment of pleasure over good sense. That wasn't it, though. She loved Korra more than anyone else in the world, and if she survived this, she _wanted_ to bear her alpha's children.

Her hands slid down Korra's sides, savoring every inch of skin that she touched. "That's it," she purred when she reached the swell of her lover's firm rear, "You feel so right inside me. _So_ _good_."

No one had ever stretched her so well, and when her inner walls squeezed down greedily, Korra moaned, "Spirits, you're so tight around me."

"Can't stand to give you up," Asami gasped. "Even a little bit of you."

Korra's response was to catch her lips again for a kiss filled with fire. Asami was eager to drink in her mate's passion, and as their tongues slid over each other, Korra's hips finally started pumping harder. Every stroke brought Asami fresh delight, and Korra's hands were almost as good, caressing her breasts, running through her hand, and brushing over her face.

It felt as though her mate was everywhere at once, and Asami's head tipped back, letting out a long, low purr. The envelope of Korra's chi surrounded them as they made love, its strength a comfort. It was a promise that they _would_ overcome Kuvira, that they would make it through together. And it seemed to fit so perfectly with her own chi, two pieces of a whole that were joined at last, just like their bodies were.

They fell into a natural rhythm, and as her hips rose up to meet Korra, Asami reciprocated her touches. Her hands roamed from the toned length of the alpha's legs to her bob of dark hair. Every part of her was precious to Asami, and there wasn't a single inch of it that she was going to neglect.

Inside of her, she could feel Korra's cock throb harder with every passing second. She wanted to feel her mate let go, to give Asami all of her unrestrained power, and yet she couldn't bear for this to end either. It was just too good to be joined with Korra this way, and Asami felt as if she could stay in this moment forever. Her body wasn't cooperating though. Korra had angled their bodies so that every stroke brought fresh pressure on her clit, and with so much stimulation, Asami felt the threads of her control slipping away one after another.

"I love you, Korra," she whispered, "Love you so much."

"Love you too, 'Sami." Korra's face was tight with the effort of holding back her climax, and suddenly Asami was overwhelmed with her urge to break that restraint, to take everything that Korra had to give her. Her tongue ran along the ridge of her alpha's ear, and each time she flicked it against the warm flesh, another grunt of pleasure was her reward.

"Go on." Her words came out as a broken whimper, but she didn't care. This was _Korra_ , and Asami wanted her to know just how desperate she was. "Fill me. I'm yours."

"Oh, Spirits." Her mate's voice was just as ragged as her own. "Oh, yes. Gonna, gonna…"

Those last repetitions were all Korra managed. Her weight fell on top of Asami, her body going stiff and her arms tightening. Her cock throbbed once more, even harder than before, and Asami could feel the release of her pleasure at last. Thick, hot spurts of her mate's come poured into her, and the feel of it sent Asami over the edge of well. Her inner walls pulled desperately, trying to draw every last drop into her, even while her own release spilled out between them.

 _Oh Spirits, though. There's so much of it._

Korra kept pulsing, and Asami had never felt so full. In spite of best efforts, she couldn't hold in all of the wonderful heat. Their thighs where left a sticky mess even while more of Korra's orgasm was pulled deep inside her pussy. Asami shivered and screamed, again and again, coming harder than she could remember doing in her entire life. Her nails dug into Korra's back, and she held on tight, riding out her climax until she was left spent and slumped down on the mattress.

* * *

Her cock had stopped twitching at last, but Korra's breath still wouldn't come back. The sight of her mate laying naked beneath her was the most beautiful thing she could imagine. Drops of sweat glistened on skin flushed red from their exertions, while Asami's long hair was laid across her face in dark waves. Korra brushed it back so that she could kiss her lips, but even after the long pause that involved, "Wow!" was the only word she could come up with.

"Mm hmm." Asami's eyes were half-closed but the love in them was still impossible to miss. "And just what I wanted. You were wonderful."

"So were you." She couldn't seem to stop touching her mate, running her hands over the length of her body. Everything felt different now, as if she was seeing Asami for the first time, and when she reached the plane of her stomach, she paused. Her fingers brushed over the smooth plane almost worshipfully, and she asked, "So, do you think that we… That you're…."

Asami laughed. "A little too soon to say, isn't it?"

Korra could feel herself blush. "Yeah, I know. It's just… I think I really want that."

"I know. " Asami lifted her head up far enough to kiss Korra's lips, while her fingers stroked her cheek. "I want it too."

Moments earlier, Korra would have sworn she was spent, but Asami's words were enough to make her swell once more. As she stiffened, Asami let out a whimper, her mouth falling open with a look of obvious desire. "Again?" the omega asked, her voice mixing a question with what sounded like a hope.

"If you want to," Korra replied, though she suspected she knew what Asami's answer would be. _And want I want it to be. Spirits, she drives me wild._

"Oh, yes. I told you, I need everything you have, Korra."

Korra's cock twitched even harder at those words. A hundred different fantasies were running through her mind, but she swiftly settled on one in particular. "Give me one sec," she told Asami, "I wanna try something."

"Anything you want."

She pulled back, groaning as the warmth of Asami's pussy was temporarily lost to her. The view almost made it worth it though. Her mate's sex was still open and glistening from their lovemaking, and a small stream of their shared fluids trickled out now that nothing was blocking their release. With a low growl of desire, she took hold of Asami's hips, turning her over onto her stomach before settling back down on top of her. The omega's hips lifted up, her ass grinding against Korra's stomach, while Korra lined up the tip of her cock.

This time, it was easy to push inside. Asami was still dripping from their last time, not to mention soaked with fresh arousal, and Korra slid into her with a single, long stroke that made both of them moan. This felt so right, and as that snug warmth gripped her once more, Korra wondered how she could have ever waited so long to see that.

No matter the reason, Korra wasn't going to waste any more time. Her hands slid beneath her mate, cupping her breasts. The nipples were stiff and swollen to her touch, and she played with them eagerly as she started to thrust. She wanted Asami in every way, to bring her as much pleasure as she possibly could to make up for the time they had missed while she was busy running and hiding.

This time, there was no holding back, not for either of them. Korra slammed into Asami with everything she had, and her mate responded in kind. Every moment brought fresh delights. Asami's hips rose into each stroke, and one of her hands reached back to seize hold of Korra's thigh. "So good," Korra mumbled into her mate's sweaty hair, "You're _so_ good around me."

Asami's reply was breathless. "I've waited so long to have you there."

"Worth… worth the wait?" Korra panted as she made another hard thrust, her hips seeming to move of their own accord, her every instinct calling out for this.

"Oh, yes." Asami's inner walls squeezed down around her, and Korra groaned. Her mate was so smooth, so wet that she knew she wouldn't last long, even the second time around. Not like this. Not with the thought of pumping Asami full of another load of her come running through her head, of claiming her mate in the most primal of ways.

The only thing she could do was make sure Asami came first. One of Korra's hands slid from her mate's breast, across her belly, and down to her clit. The stiff point was peeking out from beneath its hood when she found it, and the pressure of her fingers was enough to make Asami scream. The omega ground her hips frantically against the touch, while the hand that wasn't gripping Korra's thigh was fisted in the sheets. She was tugging them further loose with every passing second, and Korra could tell she was riding the edge.

Her teeth dug into the tight muscle of Asami's shoulder, and she grunted, "Fuck, 'Sami, come for me. Please. I wanna feel it so badly."

"Oh, Korra, yes," Asami mumbled back, and then words seemed to fail her completely. Korra's fingers slid up along her omega's clit, and beneath her, Asami whimpered and thrashed desperately. Korra thrust one, two, three more times, and on the third stroke, Asami collapsed down into the bed, fresh streams of her wetness forcing their way past Korra's cock as her inner walls rippled wildly.

Korra followed right behind. Her hips slammed forward, burying herself as far as she could, and once more, the pressure inside of her broke. Heavy spurts of her come poured out, filling Asami to overflowing, and she gave out a long, low moan of pleasure at the sensations. This felt like nothing else Korra could describe, intense pleasure but also a deep sense of connection to her mate, the only true balm for the craving they shared.

Asami's pussy wouldn't stop milking her, pulling greedily on Korra's length in an effort to take every last drop of her come. She couldn't help herself from trying to oblige, weakly pumping her hips into her mate even after she was pretty sure she had nothing left to give. It was just too good to stop, and only when she was completely and utterly spent did Korra collapse down against Asami's back with a final sigh of contentment.

"Fuck," she groaned against the sweaty flesh, "You got it all."

"I can tell." Asami's hands pulled around Korra's own, further locking the two of them in place. It was a _very_ good way to stay, and for several minutes, both of them were content not to move or speak, instead simply nuzzling together and enjoying the feel of each other's bodies. She could sense Asami's chi wrapped around her, warm and deep, and in spite of everything going on in the rest of the world, Korra felt as at peace as she could remember being.

Asami seemed to agree. She was nuzzling back against her, purring, and at last the sounds inspired Korra to break the silence. "You seem happy."

"Why shouldn't I be?" Asami asked playfully. "After all, I've got you here."

"You do." She curled up tighter against Asami's back. "You and me, and maybe soon a kid as well…"

"Maybe," Asami agreed, and Korra could practically hear the smile in her voice. It warmed her to hear it there, to know that even once the fires of desire had been satisfied, this was what they both wanted.

"You'd be the best mom, you know," she added. "I mean, I haven't seen you raising kids, but I just assume you would be, since you're good at everything else."

Asami blushed. "I'm hardly good at everything. I'll have you know I'm a dreadful cook."

"Really?" Korra laughed.

"We always had servants for that."

"Well, almost everything than. Plus, if they take after you, our kids will be brilliant _and_ good-looking."

"And probably powerful benders as well, given their sire. And I'm sure you'll be a great parent too, Korra. No one I know is braver or has a better heart."

Once, that praise would have felt like a cruel joke, but now Korra was able to just appreciate it. "I guess it's decided," she declared, planting a definitive kiss on Asami's back. "A family of smart, cute benders it is. Now we just have to stop a killer mech with a death ray for an arm, and an army of evil metalbenders to make sure our kids will have a safe city to grow up in."

"Well, then, we'll probably need a good night's sleep," Asami agreed.

"Mm hmm."

Korra reached down and pulled the covers up over the two of them, careful not to let Asami out of her grasp. Her cock had shrunk down, but even though she wasn't inside her mate anymore, that didn't mean she wanted to let her go. Far more profound bonds than the physical tied them together. This was where she wanted to be tonight, and tomorrow, she vowed she wasn't going to run either. This time, she was going to fight Kuvira to the finish. And win. She had too much at stake to do anything else.


	14. Chapter 14

In spite of the determination Korra had felt the night before, the battle had not gotten off to a promising start. Kuvira's army hadn't even had to engage Republic City's defenders; a few blasts from the spirit canon and President Raiko had thrown in the towel with his usual lack of backbone, even agreeing to turn her over to Kuvira.

Of course, Korra had no intention of going so quietly. She had slipped away from the rest of the troops before anyone could come looking for her, instead making her way to the factory where Asami was manufacturing her hummingbird suits. When she walked inside, though, she realized that Raiko wasn't the only one who was frightened. Tenzin and the airbenders, Suyin and her children, and the rest of "Team Avatar" were all there, and as she looked over their faces, Korra could see a great deal of fear. _They're all looking to you_ , she realized. _You have make them strong._

"Raiko's surrendered," she stated bluntly. "It's down to us now."

Bolin was among the more agitated people present. He gesticulated wildly as he asked, "How are we supposed to fight an entire army, a mecha giant, and that crazy weapon?"

Fortunately, her mate was keeping her calm somewhat better, for which Korra was grateful. There wasn't time to comfort Asami now, but she wasn't sure she would've been able to stop herself. "We can't fight it head on but maybe we can cripple it," Asami said. "Zhu Li, when you were spying on Kuvira, did you learn anything about that metal monster?"

Zhu Li shook her head. "I had no idea they were even building it."

Varrick's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Hmph. I guess Baatar Jr is a better inventor than I thought." He paused for a second before his face darkened and he added. "Don't tell him I said that."

Korra didn't bother engaging with that remark, because a sudden inspiration had struck her. "That's it!" she exclaimed. "If Baatar Jr built the mecha, he'll know how to take it down. I say we capture him and get him to talk." Tenzin murmured something she couldn't quite make out, and Korra insisted, "I know it's a long shot but it's the only chance we have and…"

Tenzin cut her off with a nod. "Korra, I'm in."

For an instant, Korra was surprised by his words, but then she smiled. _Be sure of yourself and others will be too._ It was a bit of wisdom she'd picked up from one of her past lives, and it seemed to be true in this instance. When she came back to Republic City, almost everyone else had doubted her, but maybe that had as much to do with her own lack of faith in herself as with her past failures. "We'll need a stealth team of airbenders to get in and out of Baatar's airship unnoticed," she said, "Bumi, Jinora, Kai, you're with me and Tenzin."

The three she had selected all nodded their acceptance, but before they could get moving, Melo protested, "What about me?"

Korra gave him a sympathetic smile before kneeling down and delivering one the more unusual pieces of strategic thought she suspected an Avatar had ever had to give. "Sorry, buddy. This mission counts on everyone being as silent as possible, and your farts are just too much of a wild card."

A look of outrage appeared on Melo's face. "I can be quiet!" he insisted, but his point had barely been delivered before being undercut. A long, loud gaseous emission hit all of their nostrils with unpleasant force, and he conceded, "Okay. Point taken."

Korra turned to leave along with the airbenders, but not before sending a brief, reassuring glance in Asami's direction. It was hard to be separated from her mate in the midst of a battle like this, especially after what they had shared the night before, but the steady smile Asami returned to her made it a little bit easier. _Do what you need to_ , it said, and Korra resolved anew to do just that.

* * *

The extraction hadn't proved to be very difficult. Their team had been on and off of the airship with Baatar in tow before anyone knew they were there, but as Korra looked at their prisoner, bound to a chair inside of Asami's factory, she wasn't sure that the next stage of their plan was going to be as simple. Baatar's eyes were determined rather than afraid, and his chi was unwavering despite being surrounded by so many enemies.

"You've made a terrible mistake," the omega growled. "Once Kuvira finds out I'm missing, you're all done for."

Korra crossed her arms, giving Baatar a stern look. "That's why, before she finds out, you're going to tell us how to stop that mecha giant, or else."

"Or else what?" Baatar demanded.

 _Don't make me do this._ Korra's eyes flashed with white light as she allowed her anger to guide her into the Avatar state. At least that wasn't a problem anymore. Not since facing Zaheer. She felt a surge of strength run through her, and with one hand, she took hold of Baatar's ropes and lifted him off the ground, chair an all.

Unfortunately, her display of power didn't have the desired effect. "You won't hurt me," Baatar declared. "I know an empty threat when I see one." _He's right. I'm not Kuvira, and I won't hurt a helpless prisoner in order to beat her._ The light faded from Korra's eyes as she let the Avatar state slip away, and she set Baatar's chair down with a growl of frustration. "Was this your best idea?" he laughed contemptuously. "You've already lost, only you haven't accepted it yet."

The arrogance and anger that mixed in his voice drew his mother's attention. Suyin stepped out from the group, and turned to Korra. "Let me talk to him," she said. Korra could hear the distress behind her request, the need to find out what was driving her son to such extremes. She gave a nod, and Suyin knelt in front of Baatar, bringing the two of them eye to eye.

"Baatar…" Suyin begun, but before she could say more, the omega cut her off.

"If you think I'm going to spill all my secrets to you, mother," he spat, "You're sadly mistaken. You don't give orders to me anymore."

"Why are you doing this?" Suyin asked, sounding more like a distressed parent than a world leader trying to win a war. "I know that when you joined Kuvira, your goal was to better the world but this is madness."

The accusation didn't make Baatar give an inch. "It's madness to let others take what's yours and accept it blindly. The United Republic belongs to us and we're taking it back."

"But at what cost?" Suyin demanded. "How many people have to lose their lives before Kuvira is satisfied?"

Baatar leaned forward in the chair, pushing against his bonds. "It doesn't have to cost any lives if you would all just surrender," he insisted. "The only thing that Kuvira and I want is a united Earth Empire."

Suyin's eyes narrowed and her head dipped. When she spoke, her voice was filled with grief. "I don't know what I did to hurt you, but whatever it was, I'm sorry. When you left Zaofu, it broke my heart and our family has never been the same since. Please, Baatar. Stop all of this and come home. We want you back with us."

Baatar's face softened slightly, but his answer wasn't any more helpful for it. "Kuvira is my family now. My home is with her."

Tears began to form in Suyin's eyes, but though Korra felt terrible for the other alpha, she couldn't focus on that. The reverence and devotion in Baatar's voice when he spoke about Kuvira had given her an idea. Turning to Tenzin, she said, "We're going about this all wrong."

Her mentor's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, Korra?"

"I mean, this isn't how to get through to him, but I think I know what is. I need you to get out of here now. All of you."

As she spoke, she summoned every ounce of authority she could manage, her chi flaring powerfully. It had the desired effect. The rest of the group began to filter out of the room. Asami gave her a nod, assuring Korra that she trusted her judgment, and Tenzin did the same, but no one objected. They might not have known what she was planning, but they were willing to put their faith in her. _Okay, then. I'd better not let them down._

When the room was empty save for her and the prisoner, Baatar asked, "What is this? Do you think I'll believe that you'll torture me if no one's there to see you do it? I don't buy that for a second, so don't waste your time."

"No. I'm not going to torture you. Not exactly. But that doesn't mean you'll enjoy it." Korra took a deep breath. This wasn't going to be a fun conversation for her either, but just maybe, it would get through to him. "Baatar," she began, "What do you think happened with me and Kuvira at Zaofu after we fought?"

Korra could hear the pride in his voice as he said, "She beat you, Avatar. Kuvira beat you and you ran away with your tail between your legs."

She raised an eyebrow. "And is that all that happened?"

For the first time, doubt began to creep onto Baatar's face. "Of course it is. What else could you possibly be talking about?"

"I'm talking about us having sex. Me and Kuvira." His eyes went wide and Korra felt a twinge of her old shame. She fought it down. That was in the past. She wasn't the weak, pathetic woman who had succumbed to Kuvira on that dusty plain. Now, she was the Avatar again, and she needed to find a way to save Republic City, no matter how awkward.

"You had _sex_ with _Kuvira_? I don't believe it. I won't."

She leaned in closer, letting Baatar look into her eyes. "We did. It's not something I'm proud of, but it really happened and you need to accept that."

Whether it was the expression on her face or her words, she must have cracked the shell of his denial, because Baatar's face fell as he stammered, "But… But why would she do that? After everything we've been through together?"

"Because even after she beat me, Kuvira wanted to humiliate me even more. To prove her dominance over the Avatar once and for all."

"I, I didn't know," he insisted. "But what about you? Why did you…"

His voice trailed off and Korra sighed. In that moment, she felt a strange kinship with the omega. Kuvira had taken advantage of both of them, albeit in different ways, and that was why she was confidant she could get him to see the light. "I was at a really low point after the fight," she admitted, "And Kuvira exploited that. That's what this crusade has done to her. It's made it so that her power is the most important thing in the world to her. More important than the damage it's going to do, or the lives it's going to cost. Even more important than you. Can't you see that?"

Baatar was reeling, but he wasn't quite ready to give in yet. "It's almost over," he insisted. "Once we conquer the United Republic, the wars will be finished and things can settle down again."

"Do you really believe that?" she asked. "This isn't about Zaofu or the United Republic. This is about Kuvira trying to fill some void in herself, and no amount of territory can do that. Once this is done, she'll find some new insult that needs to be avenged or another enemy she has to attack. The only way this ends is if she makes peace with herself."

Korra knew she had him. Even before Baatar said anything back, she could feel it in the collapse of his aura. "What do you want me to do?" he finally asked.

"To help me end this. Even if you don't care about this city, do it to stop Kuvira before you lose her for good."

Baatar blinked, trying to force back the tears she could see starting to form in the corners of his eyes. "All right," he said at last, "Give me the radio."

Korra picked it up the transmitter and walked back over to Baatar in silence. There was nothing more than needed to be said. He gave her the frequency that the mecha transmitted on, and she entered it before pressing the device up to his ear. Several long seconds passed, and then she heard the voice that had intruded into her thoughts far too many times in the past few weeks.

"Who is this?" Kuvira demanded. "How did you get this frequency?"

"Kuvira, it's Baatar. I've been captured. My airship was ambushed and I was taken by force. Korra…" He paused, the words no easier for him to say than they had been for her. "Korra told me what happened between the two of you at Zaofu."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kuvira said. Her voice was icy, and hearing it sent a chill down Korra's spine. It reminded her of the contempt Kuvira had spat at her after she beat her, when they were fucking. But it didn't break her. That was then. She had come a long way, and she wouldn't let Kuvira keep power over her, any more than Zaheer.

"Yes, you do," Baatar insisted, a frantic note creeping into his voice. "Don't deny it. Not after all the promises we made to each other."

"This is not the time to talk about such things," Kuvira replied flatly, unwilling to show any hint of her real feelings. "Is the Avatar with you now?"

"Yes," he confirmed, "Everyone's here. Don't worry; they're not hurting me. But Kuvira, you have to stop this. What happened at Zaofu… I'm afraid you're slipping out of control. This drive to take over the United Republic is pushing you to go too far. Forget about it. We have our empire. Let's go back home and get married. The only thing that matters is that we're together for the rest of our lives. Isn't that what you told me? Don't you still believe it?"

"You're right," Kuvira said, suddenly and unexpectedly. "This city isn't worth sacrificing our life together. I love you, Baatar. I'll give the order to halt the advance, and then Korra and I can negotiate a withdrawal."

The call ended and Korra breathed a sigh of relief. Could this really be the end of it?

* * *

"Just one second," Korra said as she undid the last of the ropes that had bound Baatar. Everyone else had filtered back in the room, and though many of them seemed confused that Baatar had helped put a stop to the conflict, she could see the relief on their faces. Tenzin and Bolin and both congratulated her, and even Suyin's mood seemed to be improving.

 _I would've thought I'd have to fight Kuvira again,_ she thought, _But maybe I've found a way to restore balance without violence for once. That would be a nice change._

"As soon as we work out terms with Kuvira, I'll let you out of here," she added as Baatar stood at up out of the chair.

Suyin looked as if she was about to say something to her son, but before she could, Mako spoke. He had been standing by the huge row of windows that looked out over the city, but now his gaze had focused in on something more specific. "Guys!" he yelled. "Kuvira must have our location. She's pointing that weapon right at us."

All around the room, relief was turning to shock, but the look on Baatar's face was particularly heartbreaking. He gasped, and terror was mixed in with utter devastation. "No! " he insisted in disbelief, "She wouldn't!"

But she would. As Korra followed Mako's eyes, she could already see the mecha's canon aimed in their direction, the tell-tale purple glow forming inside it. "Everyone out! Now!" she barked, and then the light leaped out towards them, and all they could do was run.

* * *

 **So, for the endgame, I'm going to be covering some of what happens on the show, but I don't want to just repeat all of it. Korra using what happened back in Chapter 1 to get through to Baatar seemed like a fun change to include though. Hope you enjoyed it.**


	15. Chapter 15

Korra groaned as she climbed back to her feet, shaking the last of the debris off of her body. There wasn't too much of it though. The factory been utterly destroyed by Kuvira's spirit canon but at the center of the wreckage stood Bolin, his bending keeping a massive chunk of the ceiling suspended above their heads.

 _Asami! Where's Asami?!_

Her head whipped around and she exhaled when she saw her mate running out towards safety, and she followed after her, joining the rest of their battered team.

"Go ahead," Bolin grunted, clearly straining beneath the weight, "Take your time. Just bending a giant wall. Man, we got a lot of people here. Is that everybody?"

With a final glance behind him to make sure that it was, Bolin dashed out as well before letting the ceiling collapse. Indeed it seemed that everyone had survived, though not all of them were in good shape. Most members of the team had at least some bumps or cuts, while Baatar Junior was unconscious, being carried by Suyin and Bumi.

Tenzin had been the first one to fly out of the wreckage, and he now dropped back down to rejoin the rest of their group. Sometimes Korra thought that worry was his default expression, but this time he seemed even more concerned than usual. "Kuvira's heading our way with a platoon of mecha suits."

"What should we do?" Asami asked.

Bolin's shoulders slumped. "This is my town and I hate to say it, but there's no use risking all our lives to fight that giant thing. Let her take the city for now. We'll think of some way to come back and beat her later."

"The civilians have already been evacuated," Mako pointed out, "Although I can't imagine that Kuvira is going to wait around while we regroup. It'll give her time to consolidate her hold, if not actually come after us."

Korra could see the logic in Bolin's position, but she couldn't accept it. For months now, they'd been falling back, letting Kuvira do what she wanted. _Including to me. No more._ Her chi hardened and she said, "No. I couldn't stop Kuvira from taking Zaofu. I'm not letting her conquer Republic City. The world isn't safe as long as she has that weapon."

Support came from a surprising source. Perched high atop the pile of rubble, Lin declared, "I agree. We take down that giant today."

Korra exclaimed, "Lin!" and got a rare hint of a smile in return.

"I'm glad to see you all made it out," the chief replied. "You had me worried."

Varrick however threw some cold water on the moment. "You benders are going to have to fight her alone," he declared. "Raiko's surrendered most of the hummingbird suits and Kuvira just blew up our factory with the rest of them."

Asami put her hand on her chin "Not all of them. There are the prototypes back at my office. If we can get those ready to fly, we'll at least be able to offer a little air support."

The words, and the determination behind them, made Korra's heart warm. Her mate hadn't given up on her when she was at her lowest, and now Asami seemed equally unwilling to give up on this battle. With so many people wavering, they were going to need that courage. She gave Asami an appreciative smile, and then said, "Su, you take Baatar Jr and the rest of the wounded back to Asami's office. Get the suits working as soon as you can. The rest of us will just have to face Kuvira on our own."

* * *

 _Spirits, that thing looks even bigger up closer_ , Korra thought as she watched the mecha stamp through Republic City, tall enough to face the tops of the soaring buildings that lined the city streets. It made the tiny flight of airbenders flying out to meet it seem like insignificant insects in grave danger of being crushed.

The mecha raised its arm and a blast of that terrible energy flew out to greet them. The airbenders scattered in half a dozen directions in an attempt to avoid the shot, but they were only partially successful. Though thankfully none of them was hit full on, Kai's glider suit got singed and he drifted down towards the ground, out of the battle before it even really began.

Korra's muscles twitched, her instincts screaming at her to get into the fight, but it wasn't time yet. Not until the rest of the team had hopefully softened the thing up. The remaining airbenders had gotten close enough that the mecha couldn't shoot at them anymore, and so Kuvira decided to try and swat them instead. A massive arm raised up, swinging to and fro in an attempt to strike the airbenders down.

She wasn't successful. The targets were too small and too maneuverable for her to make contact, and the airbenders swarmed around the head of the mecha, letting loose with the barrage of balloons Melo had suggested they fill up with paint. Streaks of it turned into a veritable flood, and the windows through which Kuvira had to see were rapidly covered with purple.

The mecha's swings became even wilder, unable to come close to touching the airbenders, but the distraction didn't hold up for long. Jets of water sprayed out from the top and bottom of the head, starting to clean the paint off of it, which meant they didn't have much time to implement the next part of their plan.

"Now!" Tenzin yelled, and from the ground, Lin sprang forward, gesturing in the direction of the mecha.

To no effect. "The joints are platinum too," she growled. "We can't metalbend any of it."

That meant it was Bolin's turn. "You're about to get the world's worst hot foot, metal lady," he declared and with a wave of his hand, the ground beneath the mecha boiled and a huge pool of lava engulfed one of its feet.

While it staggered under the heat, Tenzin flew at it again, but not at its head. Now, he circled its legs several times in rapid succession, wrapping the steel wire Asami had given him around them.

"Hit it now," Bolin yelled up, and on cue, Korra and all of airbenders struck in unison, throwing massive bursts of wind at the mecha's chest. It staggered backwards, but in spite of their best efforts, it didn't fall. Its canon arm raised once more, and this time it was aimed right at Korra.

She threw herself to the ground just before the weapon fired, and the beam passed harmlessly overhead. The heat of it was enough to make her skin tingle, but not to shake her resolve. Rolling back to her feet, she poured her anger into her next strike, summoning forth an even stronger hurricane than before. Her determination seemed to inspire the rest of the airbenders, because they surged forward and under the combined force of their attacks, the mecha gave way at last. It stumbled back several steps, crashing into the buildings behind it.

 _Down you go, Kuvira. I'm just glad we had enough time to evacuate the buildings before this started._

Unfortunately, defeating the tyrant wasn't going to be so easy. The mecha's legs strained and the cord wrapped around them snapped like string. The giant rose back to its feet even as the canon fired once more, not just at Korra this time, but at the airbenders as well.

Korra dove away from the blast but the force of it was still enough to hurl her high into the air. As she fell, she fired off a gust of wind to alter her course, pushing her into a nearby building. Once she reached it, her earthbending took over. It reshaped the wall into a slide, one that she rode the rest of the way down. Her momentum still made for a bit of a rough landing, but though Korra tumbled in a heap when she hit the ground, she was able to pick herself up afterwards. A quick glance at her body revealed nothing worse than a few bruises. She might be sore in the morning, but there was no real harm done.

Not everyone was in such good shape. Several of the airbenders appeared to be hurt, and Bolin yelled out, "Opal!" as he ran over to the alpha's side. He frantically scooped her up into his arms, but when her eyes blinked open, Korra could see his fear abate. Still, it was clear that neither she nor a number of the others were in any condition to continue the fight.

And the mecha was still coming, stomping down the streets in the direction of their party. As much Korra hated to admit it, they needed to stop this battle, at least until they could come up with a better strategy. She reached down and picked up one of the other wounded airbenders, a slender beta who had joined during the three years she'd been away, and let her lean on her shoulder. "Everyone retreat," she yelled out. "Take the wounded back to Asami's office."

Most of them did as she ordered, but Lin said, "I'll meet you there. I'm going to see if I can find help."

Korra wasn't sure what that meant, but there was no time to argue over it. They could only retreat through the empty streets as the sound of the mecha's footsteps pursued.

 _We threw everything we had at that thing, and all we did was make Kuvira mad. What now?_

* * *

Asami swallowed hard, trying to clear out the frustrations and fears that were caught in her throat. Somewhere in the streets of Republic City, her mate and many of her friends were fighting for their lives, and she should be with them. Unfortunately, that couldn't happen until Varrick finished his work on the hummingbird suit that she was sitting inside of.

At last, the inventor pulled back from the open panel, giving his wrench a playful flip and catching it once more. "All right," he declared, "Let's fire it up."

A flick of the switch activated the suit's flight system and it lifted off of the ground, fluttering back and forth across the room without difficulty. At last, Asami allowed herself to smile slightly. They had tweaked the hydraulics before sending the suits out to the military, but the prototypes in her office had needed a bit more work before they were up to those improved specifications.

"Okay," she told him, "It seems like we're almost ready to deploy. We just need to…"

Before should could finish her thought, the door to the office burst open and an airbender Asami didn't know burst in, a thin omega with a comically large mustache, and a definite air of panic. "I hope you have something in here that can take out a platoon of mecha suits," he yelled out. "Kuvira's troops are heading this way."

Varrick tapped his chin for a moment, and then a broad grin spread across his face. "I know how to take down some mecha suits," he declared. "And it just might take down that giant too. Asami, disconnect anything electrical in here until we get back. Zhu Li, let's go."

The two of them hurried out of the room, while Asami got to work doing as Varrick had said. She had a pretty good guess what he was planning, while she hated to admit it, it wasn't a bad idea.

* * *

Unfortunately, Varrick's electromagnetic pulse had only been a partial success, taking out the squad of armored soldiers Kuvira had sent after them, but not her giant. The battered strike force hadn't had any more success, and though Asami was relieved that Korra had returned from the assault in one piece, there wasn't much else she could take comfort in. All of them were now gathered in her office, trying to figure out their next move, but the determination that they had begun the day with seemed to be fading. Whatever they threw at Kuvira's damned machine seemed to make virtually no difference.

"Varrick," Bolin asked, "How come your electromagnetic thingy shut down the small mecha suits but not the big one?"

It was Baatar who answered, the omega having woken up a short time earlier. "Because it's powered with spirit vine energy, not electricity. I'm sorry. I wish I could help you, but it's unstoppable." His head hung low and Asami thought he looked broken. When they day began, she couldn't have imagined feeling sorry for him, but now… His mate actually tried to kill him. If Korra had done that… _She wouldn't. Ever._ _But Kuvira did do it to him._

Before she could offer any comfort, though, the sound of the last voice she expected to hear preempted her. "It's not unstoppable."

Asami had visited her father in prison a few weeks earlier, but seeing him now, standing in what had once been his headquarters, still wearing his prison uniform, was enough to give her pause. Her eyes widened, and "Dad?" was all she managed to ask.

Lin didn't have time for her surprise. "I got him out of jail to help," she explained, her face as imperturbable as ever. "I figured we could use all the geniuses we could get our hands on right now. If the prison's still standing when this is over, we can throw him back in then."

Hiroshi didn't seem upset by that promise. "I know what you all must think of me, but I love Republic City and I would do anything to save her."

"You think you know how to defeat this thing?" Korra's arms were crossed as she asked the question, and her eyes narrowed. It was clear that she didn't entirely trust Hiroshi, not that Asami could blame her. They had both been burned by her father's lies, but Lin was right; at this point, they needed all the help they could get.

"You must act as an infection," Hiroshi explained. "Break the skin and attack the vital organs of the machine. Disconnect the heart and the brain, and this beast cannot live."

"But how are we supposed to get inside?" Korra asked.

"Future Industries has plasma saws for cutting platinum. If we installed one on the mecha suit…"

Before her father could finish his sentence, Asami objected, "But the saws are way too big. We'd never get the suits off the ground carrying one of them."

Hiroshi put his hand on his chin, stroking his beard thoughtfully. It was strange seeing how white it had gone, but in spite of that, he didn't seem as aged as he had in prison. Perhaps this chance to do good once more had brought back some of his old fire. "I think I can add an electrical element into the welding torch on your suit and convert it into a plasma saw," he suggested. "We'll just have to land on the mecha and cut a hole big enough for someone to get in."

Asami nodded, already working out the wiring modifications in her head. "Like a metal mosquito."

Varrick, however, was not so enthused. "You know what happens to mosquitoes that land on me?" He pounded his hand into his fist for emphasis. "I squash 'em."

Korra nodded. "Yeah, Kuvira does like trying to swat people. We'll have to attack in a swarm to keep the hummingbird suits safe. It looks like they're our only hope."

The platinum sheet fell to the ground, neatly sliced in half, and Asami gave her father an approving smile. "I think we've got it. If we stop that mecha giant, it will all be because of you."

Hiroshi returned her smile proudly. "You're the one who designed these incredible suits." He laid a gloved hand on top of hers. "It's great to be working together again."

Not long ago, she would have recoiled from the touch, but now… Imminent disaster had a way of focusing the mind, of making it clear what truly mattered. It had shown her that Korra was the one she wanted to be her mate, and now it reminded her that this was her father. He had done terrible things, yes, but he was sorry for them, and he was doing all he could to make amends. For now, that was enough for Asami. "I love you, dad."

"I love you, too," he replied. There was more that could've been said, but it didn't seem as if there was any need. Asami sealed the control panels on the suit back up, and prepared to climb inside. It was ready now, and so was she.

Of course, not everyone was quite so eager to go. Varrick had also finished his modifications to the hummingbird suit he and Zhu Li would be piloting, but rather than get strapped in, he turned to his assistant.

"Zhu Li," he said, unusually hesitant.

She turned, stopping her own progress towards the suit's cockpit. "Yes?"

"I have something I need to attach before we take off."

"Attach to what?" Zhu Li asked, and for an instant, Asami was confused as well. His suit seemed to be in just as good working order as her own and there was no time to spare.

And then Varrick dropped down to one knee, and it was obvious. "Attach this ring to your finger," he said, and her opened up a box with a beautiful jade ring inside. "Zhu Li Moon, will you do the thing for the rest of our lives?"

For a moment, Zhu Li was stunned into silence, standing in front of Varrick with her mouth open. But only for a moment. Her expression of shock turned to one of joy, and she blurted out, "Yes."

"Yes!" Varrick yelled back, raising his arms in triumph. He slipped the ring onto Zhu Li's finger, and the two of them fell into a passionate embrace. In spite of her dislike of the inventor, Asami couldn't help but be happy for him, for both of them.

 _I wonder if that will be Korra and I soon. We're certainly committing in other ways._ Unconsciously, her hand drifted down to her stomach. _I wonder if our child is already "In production." If they are, that's one more reason we have to win._

"Now," Varrick declared, "Let's go attach these barely functioning rust buckets to a giant killer smashing machine."

"It's exactly how I always pictured our engagement," Zhu Li responded, and Asami had to agree. If Varrick and Zhu Li were going to get married, this did feel like how it would begin.

* * *

By the time they flew out above Republic City, the battle was already raging. The airbenders were hurling gusts of wind and the earthbenders tearing up the streets, all in an effort, Asami knew, to distract the mecha long enough for one of the hummingbird suits to land on it and cut a hole inside.

At the center of the chaos was Korra, supporting both of the teams of benders with her own considerable powers. It was a relief to see that her mate was unharmed, but Asami made herself tear her eyes away. Kuvira's mecha was far too dangerous to be distracted for long, even when Korra turned in her direction to acknowledge the suit's presence.

The mecha's arm raised and the canon barrel began to glow purple once more. _Looks like she's not distracted enough just yet._ Asami pulled hard on the flight controls, banking to the left while Varrick soared off to the right. Both of them avoided the blast, and Asami wheeled in a wide circle, continuing her drive towards the mecha. There was no point in hanging back; it was actually safer to be close, inside the limits of the canon's firing arc.

However, it was Varrick and Zhu Li who reached the target first. Their suit soared high and then dove back down sharply, coming to rest at a spot along the mecha's back. It didn't get to stay there for long. Though Asami didn't have a good look at what was going on, the swing of a massive arm was clear enough, and she was relieved to see the suit fly back out again ahead of it, bobbing and weaving as it made its escape. _Good thing we got those flight controls sorted out. That would've been a bad time for them to lose control._

While Kuvira was distracted chasing after Varrick and Zhu Li, Asami made her move. She guided them in, landing the suit along one gigantic leg. As soon as they were in place, Hiroshi activated the plasma saw, but it didn't manage to get more than a couple of inches into the armor before Kuvira took notice. The mecha's hand swung down, and Asami had no choice but to pull off of the hull and retreat before they were squished like one of Varrick's mosquitoes.

"Damn it," she muttered under her breath. "The timing window isn't big enough to get inside."

Korra seemed to realize that too, because she make another strike with her airbending, and when that got Kuvira's attention, she gave her a glare of defiance before turning to run. The metalbender took the bait, taking off after Korra. As her mate dashed through the streets, Asami made a couple of tentative passes in the direction of the mecha in case there was an opening, but all that did was draw fresh swings of its hand and confirm that she was going to need help to get a real shot at this.

When she reached a small bridge over one of the rivers that cut through Republic City, Korra suddenly stopped. She whirled around, dropping into a bending stance, and a massive stream of water flew up at her command before crashing down into the mecha. It had been raising its arm to fire on Korra, but the impact made the shot go wild. The energy beam sprayed across the sky, and Asami gasped when she saw it rip through one of the wings of Varrick's suit. Seconds later, two parachutes floated away from the damaged craft, and Asami exhaled slightly, glad at least that the pilots had survived.

 _But now, it's all on us. We can't the city down._

At least Korra wasn't going to make her do this alone. Even while Varrick and Zhu Li were floating down towards the ground, her mate gestured again and the streams of water froze, turning into a sheet of solid ice that temporarily trapped the mecha in place.

Asami dove as fast as the suit could manage, landing on a spot along the leg that wasn't covered in ice, and Hiroshi activated the plasma saw once more. Asami could see it begin to cut through the sheets of platinum armor, but it was a race against very little time. The mecha was straining against the ice, and already cracks were forming in the prison Korra had created. A chunk of it fell on her windshield, and she feared the rest was about to follow.

"We need to get out of here," she told Hiroshi.

Her father made no attempt to disengage the torch. "Almost there."

The cracks in the ice were turning to gaps and the mecha began to move once more. "We have to go now," she snapped.

Her urgency was clear, but all Hiroshi did was repeat, "Almost there."

Above her, Asami could see the mecha's arm rip free and she screamed, "Dad! Now!"

And yet, in spite of the danger they were in, her father's strange calm remained unbroken. Instead of disengaging, he simply said, "Goodbye, Asami. I love you."

She knew then what he planned, but it was too late to stop him. Asami seized hold of the controls, intending to fly off in spite of the active plasma saw, but before she could, Hiroshi's hand fell down to the eject.

An anguished scream of "Dad!" tore its way out of her throat as she was yanked out of the suit. Her seat's parachute deployed automatically, and all Asami could do was watch as she drifted further and further away from the battle. The mecha's arm slammed down, and tears filled Asami's eyes as the tiny, vulnerable suit was smashed beneath it.

Her father was dead. There was no way that he could've survived in the crushed wreckage that slid down off of the mecha, but it hadn't been for nothing. When the arm pulled back, there was a hole in the armor large enough for a person to pass through. Through her grief, Asami dimly was aware of her mate calling out, "Hiroshi's plan worked. There's our opening," and she, Lin, Suyin, Bolin, and Mako, all rushed up towards it.

As Korra disappeared from view, Asami's last thought was, _He bought you a chance, my love. Please make it count._


	16. Chapter 16

By the time the strike team was safely inside of the mecha's leg, the alarms were already blaring. Korra scarcely heard them. Her thoughts were still on what she'd just witnessed. Hiroshi Sato was far from her favorite person, but it didn't matter what he did or didn't mean to her. Asami was going to be devastated by his death, and that meant Korra bled too. _This is the last one_ , she silently vowed. _The last person Kuvira gets to hurt. The last thing she gets to do to me or the people I love._

"We have to move fast," she told the rest of the team. "Su, Lin, climb up to the arm and try to disable that weapon. Mako, Bolin, get to the engine room and see if you can power this thing down. I'm going after Kuvira."

Her last words gave Suyin pause. "Are you sure?" she asked hesitantly. "When you fought Kuvira before…"

Korra lowered her head. "I know. She almost destroyed me." _More than you even know. Body and soul, she nearly crushed me for good._ Korra took a deep breath, letting the past be the past. When she looked up again, her eyes were hard, and her chi was solid. "Not this time."

* * *

Korra knew Kuvira was just beyond the hatch before she opened it. Several inches of metal weren't enough to stop her from sensing the strength of the other alpha's chi. Kuvira's aura was iron and steel, and the feel of it was enough to summon up that day on the plains before Zaofu: on her hands and knees, the metalbender's thick cock plunging into her. It had been her lowest moment, the point when she had been on the verge of giving up, and she was about to face the woman responsible for it.

 _Or am I? It wasn't really Kuvira who was responsible. I was. She might have taken advantage, but it was my weakness that let her do that to me, that made me want her to do it. And that's not who I am anymore. No more freezing. No more hesitating._

Her bending seized hold of the hatch and as it flew free of its moorings, Korra flipped into the air after it, landing gracefully on the deck. Kuvira stood only a few meters away, arrogance and anger mixing on her face. Judging by the crashes and shaking Korra had heard while climbing up the mecha's spine, the strike team might have something to do with that second emotion. With any luck, they'd already crippled the beast, and all she had to do was capture the woman who commanded it.

If Kuvira was worried though, she was doing her best to conceal it. "Hello, Avatar," she said, her voice dripping with her usual contempt. "I didn't think I'd see you again, at least not like this. I thought we'd established that you were better suited for a whorehouse than a battlefield."

"That was then," Korra replied flatly. Nothing Kuvira could say to her was worse than the things she'd already told herself. "I'm feeling better. Now, shut this machine down and pull your forces back, or you'll find out just how much better."

Kuvira's lips twitched slightly upwards, her emotions difficult to read. "Show me."

"Whatever you say." Korra's chi solidified as she spoke, and she conjured a ball of fire around her hand, flinging it at the other alpha. Kuvira pulled up a piece of debris that lay on the floor, blocking the strike before turning her shield into a spear and sending it forth. Korra caught the metal with her own bending, flinging it back at Kuvira, and the speed of her strike seemed to catch Kuvira off-guard. The projectile slammed into her torso, sending her sprawling across the floor.

She wasn't down for long, though. Kuvira rolled back to her feet, dusting herself off. "You actually have pulled yourself together. I'm impressed."

There was a note of genuine respect in her voice, but it wasn't reciprocated. "And I'm disgusted," Korra spat back. "How could you use that weapon on Republic Cit, let alone against your own mate?"

For an instant, there was a wavering in the solid wall of Kuvira's aura. "I regretted that. But sacrifices have to be made, Korra. Without the hard choices that people like you don't want to face, there can be no real order."

"I'll face them." She tossed another fireball at Kuvira, one that the metalbender barely managed to roll out of the way of. "But if there's a price, then I should be the one to pay it, not the people I'm supposed to protect. And Baatar's alive, by the way. Though I think the engagement might be off."

Rather than respond with words, Kuvira came up out of her crouch attacking, detaching metal blades from her uniform and throwing them one after another. Korra knocked the projectiles aside with her own bending, but while she was preoccupied, Kuvira leapt onto the platform that she stood on, using her metalbending to magnify the impact. Korra was thrown up towards the wall, and as soon as she hit, Kuvira shaped a piece of it into a metal band around her waist. Korra braced herself as she was yanked along the circular room and then thrown down into a control panel. The instruments cracked from the force and pain shot through her body, but Korra gritted her teeth and pushed past it. Pain was nothing she wasn't used to.

She sprang to the side ahead of Kuvira's follow-up hunk of metal, letting it slam harmlessly into the thick glass that wrapped around the mecha's head. _She is good_ , Korra admitted to herself. _Even with my head clear, this won't be easy._

Kuvira seemed to be coming to the same conclusion. "Now, this is a real fight," she laughed. "Certainly a better one than we had at Zaofu anyway."

Without waiting for a response, Kuvira leapt forward, and Korra shifted to the left, just avoiding the kick aimed at her head. She threw more fire that Kuvira ducked under, the metalbender rolling back towards the other side of the mecha's head. Korra wasn't going to let her get away that easily though, and while her enemy was still off-balance, she caught her with a gust of wind that sent Kuvira sprawling across the room and into another one of the mecha's increasingly useless control stations.

 _It's a good thing our fight seems to have scared off the rest of the staff,_ Korra thought, noticing that the room was now empty save for her and Kuvira, _because it doesn't look like we're going to leave much standing in here._

Korra pursued her enemy, ducking under the sheet of metal that Kuvira sent crashing down at her head. She sprang up out of her roll directly into another attack, grabbing Kuvira between her legs and flinging her across the room. Even while the metalbender was landing, Korra raised up the floor, hurling Kuvira back into the air. Turning on a dime, she leapt towards the other alpha, but in spite of having been tossed to and fro, Kuvira had still managed to keep her concentration. A piece of the floor flew up at Korra even while another gust of wind from her slammed Kuvira into the deck hard.

She crashed into the wall, but though the impact made Korra shudder, she was all right. A part of her even felt good. Though she hated the necessity of the battle, simply being able to fight without hesitation was like rediscovering a part of herself that had been lost far too long. _Especially since I think I'm getting to her._

It wasn't a theory she got to test much further. She and Kuvira picked themselves up and began hurling fresh waves of projectiles at each other, but seconds later, a brilliant purple glow filled the windows of the control room. It was like the light of the canon, but now it came through every window and, Korra suspected, from inside the mecha itself. _Mako and Bolin must have overloaded the reactor_ , she realized in the instant she had before thinking became a luxury she could no longer afford.

The entire mecha began to shake, and Korra dove towards one side of the room, grabbing hold of a handrail there in an effort to brace herself. She didn't have to worry about Kuvira taking advantage of her vulnerable position because the metalbender was in even more precarious shape. She had made for a chair that was bolted to the floor, but just before she could reach it, a sudden lurch sent her sprawling across the room, crashing hard into one of the piles of wreckage their battle had produced.

It was impossible to keep track of Kuvira after that. The light somehow grew even brighter and Korra squeezed her eyes shut as her hands gripped the bar with every ounce of strength she had. It was a good thing too because a moment later, the entire room –the entire mecha for all Korra knew, was flung through the air. She winced as bits of debris slammed into her, but somehow she managed to hang on even as her body first went horizontal and then slammed into the wall when whatever was left of the war machine crashed back into the ground.

For a moment, Korra could do nothing but lie on the ground, panting, but when she patted herself down, she realized that somehow, she'd hadn't actually broken anything. With a groan, she pulled herself back to her feet, and looked for Kuvira.

The metalbender was laying beneath a pile of wreckage, unmoving. Perhaps some last, desperate use of her bending had spared her from greater harm, because as Korra made her way towards her, it was clear that she was breathing, and that she was in one piece too, if obviously worse for the wear.

What was left of the mecha's head groaned under its own weight, and Korra realized she needed to get moving. _You could just leave her here_ , an angry part of her suggested. _After all she's done, she hardly deserves your help._ It was true in its way, and yet Korra still began bending the wreckage off of Kuvira. Leaving people to die wasn't who she was her, and besides, Kuvira might yet be useful for something.

Once the rubble had been cleared away, Korra reached down and pulled Kuvira up, bracing the metalbender's dead weight against her shoulder. As she stumbled out of the wreckage, Korra could now see that the torso and head of the mecha had been separated from the rest of it, and that those pieces now lay somewhere in the depths of the Spirit Wilds, illuminated by its purple glow.

Kuvira was starting to come around by the time they were back outside, her breathing speeding up and her green eyes fluttering open, but she was still obviously dazed. Korra laid her down on a slab of rubble. Once she decided that Kuvira was awake enough to understand her, she said, "It's over. You're gonna call off your army and surrender to President Raiko. And you and I…"

She didn't get to finish her sentence. Kuvira's eyes snapped the rest of the way open, and rather than talk, she gestured at a piece of metal, hurling it towards Korra. Too surprised to react fast enough, Korra grunted when it caught her in the chest and sent her sprawling backwards onto her ass. Kuvira didn't try to follow up though. Instead, she turned and ran further into the Spirit Wilds, only sparing a single, backwards glance before she disappeared into their depths.

With a groan, Korra pulled herself back to her feet. Kuvira had clearly been injured in the crash, limping and clutching at her side as she fled, but she was still making herself keep going. _It's impressive, in it's way_ , Korra admitted to herself, _that determination to never give up. I can empathize._

Still, her injuries meant that Korra should be able to catch her, and as she made her way down the path, she called out, "Kuvira! Give up!" No response came besides the occasional twittering of the forest's inhabitants, and Korra tried again. "Please, stop this madness. It has to end now."

This time she got a reply. "If you really want to end it, than come and get me," Kuvira yelled back. In spite of the pain in her voice, there was a confidence there that surprised Korra. _Is it just arrogance? She has to know she can't possibly win this fight, not in her condition._

Still, Korra wasn't going to take chances, and she picked up the pace, jogging in the direction of Kuvira's voice. As she rounded a corner and saw her enemy again, her confidence died in her chest. It was clear why the metalbender had stopped running, because dangling from the massive canopy of the Spirit Wilds was the canon arm of her mecha, and hanging onto its side was Kuvira. A glow began to form in the barrel, and Kuvira's tone had become actively mocking once more.

"Now, Avatar, it's over."


	17. Chapter 17

As the canon charged, Korra held up her hand and yelled out, "Don't!" but it was too late to reason with Kuvira. The barrel swung towards her and Korra could do nothing but dive to the ground an instant before a lethal beam of pure spirit energy tore through where she had just been standing. It was the closest call she'd had, and the heat from even a few seconds of proximity was almost unbearable in its intensity. The forest behind her burst into flames, but the damage didn't stop there. The trees couldn't brace the canon the way that the mecha had, and as it continued to fire, the cocoon of branches holding it snapped.

The weapon swung in a broad arc, its rays lashing across the face of Republic City, and Korra screamed, "Shut it down!" At last, Kuvira seemed to realize that things had gone too far. She pulled the firing lever back down, but the energy kept pouring out as if nothing had happened. The canon jerked once more, and Kuvira was thrown clear of it, tumbling to the ground near Korra. Her eyes were wide, filled with a terror Korra had never seen there before. The canon was dipping back towards them, and Kuvira seemed in no shape to avoid it.

Korra's first impulse was to try and dodge again. All day, she had run from the terrible power of this weapon; what else could a sensible person do? But she wasn't just any person. She was the Avatar, and as the beam closed in, Zaheer's words flashed back into her mind. _You say your power has limits; I say it's limitless._

If she didn't do something, it wouldn't just be Kuvira that was killed. Republic City had already been ravaged by the dictator's invasion; who knew how much more damage would her uncontrolled weapon would inflict before it burned itself out?

A calm came over Korra as she slid into the Avatar state. This time, it was not anger but a sense of harmony and peace that fueled her change. Within her, she could feel Raava's strength surge, mixing with her own as she rolled in-between Kuvira and the beam. _You can do this. For Republic City. For your friends. For Asami. You_ have _to do this._

Her arms raised up and she bent as she never had before. The heat of the blast could no longer touch Korra. Instead, the energy wrapped around her and Kuvira harmlessly, leaving them safe even as it expanded outwards in a vast sphere. She had never attempted anything like this before, and yet somehow, she knew what to do. Grabbing hold of the energy around her, Korra pulled it back towards herself. As the power rushed in, she bent it, altering it as it passed through the matrix of her surging chi. The purple glow shifted into a column of glorious, golden light that ran from the ground to the sky. Korra's eyes closed in the face of the glare, and the world around her fell away.

When she opened them once more, Korra was looking at a glowing, purple version of herself, the two of them descending together towards the ground. And then it wasn't her she was regarding, but Kuvira, the metalbender alighting next to her on a vast field of flowers. Korra landed on her feet, but Kuvira tumbled, leaving Korra to catch her before she hit the ground. The other alpha's eyes blinked open and she gasped, staggering backwards in shock.

"What happened?" Kuvira stammered. "Are we… dead?"

Korra shook her head. "No, we're all right, but we're in the Spirit World. All the energy from your weapon tore open a new portal and blasted us in here."

Kuvira's head slumped, the fight seeming to have gone out of her at last. "The beam was going to kill me. Why didn't you let it? Why would you save my life after everything I did to you?"

It was a surprisingly honest question, and Korra hesitated before she answered it. "I guess… I see a lot of myself in you."

Kuvira's response was both immediate and vehement. "We are nothing alike!" she spat.

"Yes, we are," Korra replied calmly. She hadn't really considered it until that moment, but now, the parallels were obvious. "We're both alpha's, Kuvira, in a big way. We're both fierce and determined to succeed, sometimes without thinking things through. We have a constant need to prove that we're the best, no matter what it takes."

"And you did," Kuvira confessed, sinking down to her knees. "After the last time we fought, I thought that I'd broken you for good, but I was wrong. You're stronger than ever, stronger than I could possibly hope to be." Korra could feel the deep fractures in her erstwhile opponent's aura, and they were eerily familiar. It was a reminder of where she had been that day at Zaofu: ashamed, crushed, compliant. Kuvira's eyes lowered, and she said, "What are you waiting for, Korra? We both know what happens next. I made you my bitch; now it's your turn. Go on, I won't resist."

There was a primal part of Korra that growled, "Yes," in response to Kuvira's words. Her inner alpha wanted to fuck the metalbender, to take her the way that she had been taken until the scales were balanced. Instead, she merely shook her head. "I said we were alike, Kuvira, not that we're the same. Once, maybe I would've taken you up on that offer, but somebody very special showed me that there's more to strength than dominance."

It wasn't clear if Kuvira was relieved or disappointed by Korra's answer. "So, you found a mate?" she sighed. "Good for you. It all comes full circle, doesn't it? I beat you, you beat me, I lost a mate, you found one… I guess I should have known it would end this way. You are the Avatar, after all, and I'm just…"

Korra could hear the emptiness in Kuvira's fading voice, the hollowness that she knew all too well. In spite of everything that had happened, she felt a pang on sympathy for the beaten dictator. "I think I get it now. Su told me how she took you in when you were younger. It must have been so hard, being an orphan."

"Don't pretend you know what it felt like," Kuvira protested. "The Avatar is adored by millions; I was cast aside by my own parents like I meant nothing to them. Everything that was handed to you I had to fight tooth and nail to claim for myself."

"And that's why you wanted to dominate me," she told Kuvira. "You thought that if you could make the Avatar submit, it would finally make you feel like you'd proven yourself." Kuvira said nothing, but the look on her face told Korra that she was right, and she asked, "It didn't work, did it? No matter how much territory you conquered or how many people called you the Great Uniter, or how much you made me beg, it didn't fill the hole inside you."

At last, Kuvira spoke. "No, it didn't. None of it. You asked me before how I could have fired that weapon at my mate." She gave a small snort. "It still wasn't the right thing to do, but for what it's worth, I don't think that I ever loved Baatar. It's like you said; I wanted to prove something. Suyin raised me, but I was never truly a Beifong. I guess I thought that if I mated one…" Her voice trailed off once more, and then she said, "It wasn't fair to do that to him. Or to you, for that matter."

"No, it wasn't. But I don't hate you for it. I may not have been an orphan but, believe me, I understand what it feels like to be afraid you're not good enough." She knelt down next to Kuvira, wanting to be on the same level as her before she continued. "After I was poisoned, I would have done anything to feel in control. For three years, I fought to get that back, and then, when you beat me, I thought that I'd failed for good. I could never be what I was, and so I decided that I might as well just lose myself in some mindless pleasure."

"But you did find a way back. You overcame what Zaheer did to you. How?" Kuvira laughed bitterly. "Because if us screwing is what did the trick, maybe I should offer myself up again."

Korra couldn't help but laugh back. "Sorry, but that wasn't it. What finally helped was accepting that things couldn't go back to the way they were. I needed to make my peace with what had happened to me, not try to blot it out. I'm sorry your childhood wasn't great, Kuvira, but you have to deal with that, not take it out on the rest of the world."

"I was trying to make things better," Kuvira insisted, a flash of her old defiance echoing in her voice. "To make sure that my country wouldn't be abandoned the way I was."

"That might have been a noble goal, but because of your anger, because you didn't know where to stop, look at where it led. How many people have died. How much has been destroyed. It has to end."

"It will. It's over, Korra. I know when I'm beaten, whether or not you want to fuck me to prove the point."

"Then let's go back and you can tell your army to stand down." Korra offered her arm to Kuvira, and the metalbender took it without a further word. She managed to make it to her feet, but her legs were still unsteady and Korra let her rest her weight on her shoulder. Ahead of them, the portal glowed, and as they approached it, Korra felt a sense of satisfaction. What had happened between her and Kuvira might not have been vengeance in the fullest sense, but so what? She had won the day, and that was enough. It was time for peace, for Republic City and for her as well.

* * *

It was far too long before Asami could be alone with her mate. When Korra emerged from the new spirit portal she had created, there were hugs to be shared, amazement to be expressed, and Kuvira to be taken away into custody, but as much as Asami appreciated all of those things, she was glad when everyone else was gone and it was just the two of them, walking together towards her estate.

 _It's our estate now,_ she realized. _Korra is my mate, and my home is hers too._

The streets of Republic City were eerily silent as they walked, the people not yet returned and the buildings battered by the attack. Neither of them broke the stillness at first. So much had happened over the last few days that it was hard to say where to begin. Just holding Korra's hand, feeling the reality of her presence and the warm glow of her chi were good enough for Asami, reminders of what she had amidst the evidence of what had been lost.

After a few blocks though, Korra's grip tightened, and she said, "I'm so sorry about your dad, Asami. I wish there was something I could've done to save him."

In spite of the subject matter, Asami couldn't help but smile. Korra was so sweet, and for the hundredth time over the last few weeks, Asami was grateful that she'd come back into her life. "I appreciate that," she said, "But don't blame yourself. You did remarkable things toady. I still can't believe that you actually stopped the spirit beam. When I saw the mecha explode and then the destruction in the middle of the wilds, I was so afraid. The thought of losing both you and my father…"

Korra stopped walking, instead pulling Asami close to plant a kiss on her cheek. "You didn't. I'm fine. More than fine, actually. I feel more in touch with my Avatar powers than ever, like I've unlocked something within myself."

"I'm so proud of you, Korra." Asami returned the kiss, but this one she placed softly on her mate's lips. "You saved the city. You beat Kuvira."

"Yeah, I guess I did," Korra agreed. "It was a hell of a fight though."

Asami paused and her lips pursed together into a small smile. There was something that had been in back of her mind for a little while now, and she had to ask. "So Korra, when you two came out of the portal, Kuvira's aura was pretty muted. You didn't, um, pay her back for what happened at Zaofu, did you?"

She could see Korra trying her best to suppress a laugh. "Not the way you're thinking. After the fight, she did offer, but you're my mate. I'd never betray that."

Asami gave her another kiss, this one longer and hotter, drinking in her mate's richness. "That's what I thought, and I appreciate it. Though in this one case, I might've understood if you made an exception."

"Well, I didn't. I mean, it definitely felt good to smack Kuvira's arrogant butt around a bit, but you mean much more to me than winning some kind of stupid dominance game with her. And besides, I actually felt kinda bad for Kuvira. I think that all of the things that I went through: Zaheer poisoning me, those three years on my own, even what happened at Zaofu, they've helped me to empathize better with people."

It was strange to hear Korra express such a sentiment about the woman who'd put both of them through so much, but it was all right. Asami loved her mate's compassion, and if that meant that Korra spared a thought for Kuvira, she wouldn't object. Of course, there were limits. "I'm glad," she said. "But just because you feel sorry for Kuvira doesn't mean you're going to let her go free or anything, right?"

Korra shook her head. "Oh, no. She's going to jail for a good, long time. I mean, yeah, she might've had some tough breaks growing up but that doesn't make it okay to blow up half of Republic City with a giant mecha." She paused, squeezing Asami a little bit tighter. "Or to do all the other things she did either."

"Thank you." Asami relaxed, resting her head on Korra's shoulder, taking comfort in her strong arms. "I'm not sure I've really processed what happened to my father yet. Right after he died, you and everyone else went into the mecha, and I was so worried about you. Then afterwards, I was just relieved that you were all right." Her voice trailed off for a moment, Asami breathing in her mate's warmth before she spoke again. "I spent so much time hating him, and just when we'd made our peace, I lost him for good."

"Well, whatever you need, I'm here for you, 'Sami. You took such good care of me these last few weeks, and I'll do anything I can to return the favor."

There were plenty of things Asami wanted from her mate, but tired as she was, only one of them came to mind. "You're sweet, Korra," she said with a last kiss to the alpha's lips, "Right now, I think I just want to go home and sleep with you next to me for a good, long time."

Korra smiled wearily, her own fatigue showing as well. _It's no surprise, after what she did._ "Sounds like a plan."

They began to walk once more, and in spite of her sorrows, there was still a bright light shining in Asami's heart. Only a few weeks before, she had feared that Korra was lost to her forever, but now, she could look forward to building a life with the most remarkable mate she could hope for.

* * *

 **I hope you liked Korra's final reckoning with Kuvira. I wanted to go with a mix of what we saw in the show and some expansions and changes to fit with what happened in this particular story. I will admit, Korra topping the hell out of Kuvira might have been hot, but I don't think it fit either where she is emotionally, or her relationship with Kuvira. Just an epilogue to go after this, with some smut and domestic fluff for our couple.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Several Weeks Later**

As she walked into the Sato mansion, Korra dropped her bag down on the entranceway floor with a weary sigh. Though a great deal of progress had been made towards repairing the damage Kuvira's attack had caused, much more remained to be done. Countless buildings and roads had been destroyed, and though the early evacuation had minimized casualties, many of the people who had escaped were now without homes. It might not have been quite as challenging as deflection the blast from a spirit canon, but Korra's bending had been working overtime lately trying to put the city back together.

Not that she minded. Helping people was part of her job as the Avatar and it was good to be able to do that again, without the fear and self-doubt that had crippled her for far too long. Once more, Republic City respected her, and not just for what she was, but for the things she'd actually done.

Korra wasn't the only one working hard, either. Future Industries was at the forefront of the reconstruction efforts, which meant that when darkness fell and she came home, it was often to find Asami still out at her office working. Not tonight, however. No sooner had Korra kicked off her shoes than she heard Asami call out, "Hello, Korra. I'm upstairs."

Even at this distance, she could feel the pull of her mate's chi accompanying her words, its pull warm and seductive. Korra gulped, licking her lips and bounding up the stairs three at a time. It didn't take her long to find the source of the call. Asami was stretched out on their bed, wearing nothing but a lacy black bra and panties along with a broad smile. "Welcome home," she purred, brushing her fingers suggestively over the sheets. "Do you want to get undressed and join me?"

"Uh, yeah, definitely," Korra mumbled, trying her best not to swallow her tongue. "I am kinda sweaty though, so I could take a shower first if you want…"

"I like how you smell right now."

Asami's chi tugged at hers again, and Korra could feel her clit throb, already starting to shift in response. "So, um, not that I mind, but what's the occasion? Usually you're still at work now," Korra asked as she began pulling off her clothes.

"Later. First, you."

Asami's voice made it seem as if she wanted to devour her, and Korra had seldom stripped quite so fast. By the time she was naked, her cock was already fully formed and twitching with anticipation. She scampered onto the bed, where she was greeted by a passionate embrace, and a heated kiss that made her moan with sharp, rising desire. The day's labors were immediately forgotten; all that was in her head now was Asami.

Korra brushed back her mate's long hair and her fingers ran down her neck before making their way to her shoulders. Even while she massaged the muscles there, Asami's back arched, thrusting her breasts forward as if in offering. The thin material of her brasserie felt good when Korra cupped them in her hands, and when she pressed against the erect tips of the nipples beneath, her mate purred.

"Mm, yes, that's right." Asami's hands went to Korra's hips, guiding her forward. She felt the head of her cock brush over the already-damp silk that covered the omega's sex, and it made her gasp. She wasn't sure what had put her mate in such a hungry mood, but there was no way she was going to complain about it.

A deft couple of motions stripped Asami's bra off and Korra's mouth descended to feast on the full orbs it had concealed. One after the other, she drew the nipples between her lips, sucking eagerly while her hands caressed the soft flesh surrounding them. It was something she could never get tired of doing, but it was clear that Asami didn't want to wait. It wasn't long before the tips of her fingers found the length of Korra's cock, teasing along it until she was twitching with need.

"Fuck, 'Sami," she growled, pulling back only long enough to lower her mate further onto the bed. With one hand, she tore down Asami's panties, and the sight of her glistening sex made Korra's pulse quicken. The thought of feeling it wrapped around her shaft was intoxicating, but as hard as she was, Korra still couldn't pass up the opportunity for a taste first. She dropped down to her elbows, positioning herself between Asami's legs. The omega spread them eagerly, and her hand shot into Korra's hair, urging her head forward.

There were already trails of wetness on Asami's thighs, and Korra was happy to lap it up. Her tongue ran across the soft flesh until she reached their juncture, breathing in the potent scent as she went. One lick across the slick folds made Asami cry out, and Korra's cock throbbed in response. _One of these days, she's going to make me come all over myself just with those sounds she makes_.

As it was, there were little beads of wetness gathering at her tip, but they were nothing compared to the flood Asami was releasing. Every time Korra's tongue slid into her mate, it came away with more of her sweetness, a lovely flavor that she greedily drank down. Only once she'd had her fill did she move upwards, drawing back the hood of Asami's clit to reveal the hard bud beneath. She ran her tongue along its length, the pressure making Asami's hips buck against her, and another cry slip past her lips.

"K… Korra," she whimpered.

"What's that," Korra murmured back, not willing to pull back far enough to speak more clearly.

The vibrations her question produced made Asami quiver in her mouth again, but eventually the omega managed to answer, "I need you in me. _Now_."

As much as she hated to lose Asami's taste, that was an invitation Korra couldn't refuse. She moved up along her mate's body, and even while she caught her lips for a deep kiss, the head of her cock nudged up against the omega's entrance. Asami was so wet that slipping past the tight ring of muscle was easy enough, but once she was inside, the gripping pressure was enough to make Korra groan.

The effect on Asami was even more dramatic. The muscles of her stomach tightened and her head tipped back. Korra latched her mouth onto the soft flesh that was exposed, and as she sucked on it, Asami cried out her name. The sound made her hips jogs forward, but it was harder to thrust than she would've expected. Asami's inner walls were clutching at her desperately, and Korra realized that she was already on the verge of falling apart.

Her hand slid down between their bodies, searching back out Asami's clit. With every stroke, she rubbed the pad of her thumb across it, and her mate's hands fisted in the sheets. Her face was twisted in the most gorgeous expression of pleasure, and her screams made Korra's length twitch inside of her. "Go on, 'Sami," she purred, "Come for me. I can feel how badly you want to."

Asami was too far gone to reply with words, but she pushed her hips back more forcefully into the thrusts in an effort to do as she'd been told. It only required a few more of them before she unraveled. Her inner walls rippled and a flood of her release slipped past the thickness of Korra's cock, drenching the sheets and both of their bodies with its intensity.

Korra had to bite her lip to hold back, riding out the intense sensations around her length so that she could go a little longer. Once Asami's body had stopped shivering with her climax, she sped back up. The tug of the omega's chi was hot and hungry for more contact, and so Korra slid down, resting her weight on Asami.

Once her mate's arms were wrapped around her back, she grasped Asami's hips, driving into her with everything she had. The omega's nails dug into her the tight muscles of her back, and the sharpness of the sensation only made Korra go harder. Her cock was pulsing furiously now, and she knew that it wouldn't be long before she lost control.

"You feel so good," she groaned. "So good around me."

"Oh yes, Korra," Asami whimpered back. "So do you. So hard. So thick."

Her inner walls were clutching desperately, milking Korra's cock with every stroke. The fog of lust surrounding Korra was clouding out nearly everything except the need to come, but she still managed to retain concern for her mate's pleasure. Her mouth roamed over Asami's soft skin, kissing her lips and nipping at her neck and collarbone. As her thrusts grew more desperate, she angled them upwards, dragging the head of her cock over Asami's sensitive front wall, and when the omega's cries sharpened, Korra knew it was all right to let go completely.

A few more forceful thrusts were all it took. Korra plunged in as deeply as she could and when she bottomed out, the heat building inside of her finally exploded. One massive, powerful pulse after another filled up Asami's tight pussy, so much come that some of it spilled out between them. Korra wasn't sure how long her climax went on because time seemed to lose all meaning. Nothing was real except the pleasure she felt, and the screams of bliss Asami let out as she fell over the edge along with her. The two of them clung to each other, taking in every last wonderful moment for as long as they lasted.

Only once the lovers were totally spent did their grips loosen, and even then they remained joined together, in spirit as well as in body. Asami's hand pushed back the rumbled strands of Korra's hair and stroked her sweaty forehead. "Mm, thank you," she murmured. "That was just what I needed."

"Happy to help," Korra grinned, kissing the sweaty skin of Asami's neck. " _Very_ happy. But now you wanna tell me what got into you tonight? Besides me, I mean."

Her words drew a long, happy sigh out of Asami and her other hand tightened its hold on Korra's back. "It's the news that I got today. The tests finally came back from my doctor. Korra, I'm pregnant."

Korra felt her heart expand, a fierce joy filling her whole body. "Asami, that's great. We're going to have a family. I mean, you already feel like my family, but now there's going to be more of us. A bigger family, I mean." She laughed. "Sorry, I'm babbling."

Asami tilted her head over, kissing Korra's lips in an indulgent, loving gesture. "Don't apologize. It's a little overwhelming for me too. But in the best possible way."

She smiled at the reassurance. "Do you think it was that night, before Kuvira's attack? It kind of felt like it was."

"It could be." Asami laughed. "Of course, it also might be one of the other times you've come inside me since then. There've certainly been enough of them."

"That's true." Korra gave Asami a kiss back, trying to convey even a little bit of the happiness she felt, and she was pleased when she saw the warm glow that filled her mate's eyes. "I guess we'll want to make it official now," she continued. "I know my parents will push for a big, traditional Water Tribe ceremony, but we can do something different if you'd rather."

"What I want is you, Korra." Asami kissed the tip of her nose. "I can be flexible about the rest."

"Well, you've got me," Korra responded. "Forever. I know I was gone a long time, but I'll always be there for you _and_ our child now."

Asami's smile turned mischievous. "You know, Korra, when you say things like that, it makes me want to find special ways to thank you."

Korra laughed. "That sounds good, but it might have to wait a little while. I had a long day, and I think one round was all my cock was good for, at least without some rest first."

Indeed, her clit had already shifted back to its usual size, sliding out of Asami while they'd been talking, but her mate didn't seem deterred. "That doesn't mean I can't do something nice for you, Korra. You took me very thoroughly just now, and I'd love to return the favor."

Once, Korra's impulse would've been to insist that wasn't necessary, that her cock could be coaxed out for more, but Asami had shown her a lot that she hadn't known. "And I'd love to have you do it, 'Sami," she purred.

Asami gave her hips a nudge and Korra rolled off of her, settling down in a spot on the sheets that they thankfully hadn't soaked yet. Her mate snuggled up by her side, and as Asami tucked into an embrace, Korra couldn't take her eyes off of her. _She's going to have our child_ , she thought, a lump forming in her throat as the realization of how much her life had changed washed over her.

It wasn't more than a couple of months ago that Korra had been a broken mess, crawling back to Republic City, kept going by nothing more than a tiny sliver of determination to warn the people there. Now, she had a mate, a home, and soon, a baby. Perhaps most important of all, she had her confidence and self-worth, which was why she knew there was nothing wrong with what Asami wanted them to do.

She spread her legs, and Asami's hand slid between them. Her mate went slowly at first, caressing Korra's toned calves, even while she leaned in closer. Korra sat up to better meet her lips, her tongue sliding into Asami's mouth to taste the passion there. The kiss was distracting enough that she barely noticed the omega's fingers creeping up her thigh, at least until Asami found the outer edges of her sex. She was slick from their earlier exertions even before they started, but the gentle touches were coaxing out even more wetness. Asami slid deftly through her folds, even while her mouth broke away to tease the outer shell of Korra's ear.

Korra let out a long purr, relaxing into the touches. Asami seemed suitably encouraged by the sound, because it wasn't long before she began probing against her entrance. The last time they'd done this, the penetration had made Korra nervous at first, but now the stretch as two digits pushed inside of her brought nothing but pleasure. She rocked against Asami's fingers, groaning happily as they worked their way deeper inside her. "Feels nice, 'Sami," murmured. "You feel nice."

"Just nice?" Asami asked, mischief dancing in her green eyes. Her fingers curled upwards, pressing against Korra's front wall, and the alpha gasped.

"Okay, _really_ nice," she managed to get out in-between moans. "Really, really nice."

"I'm glad to hear it. Because I always want this to be good for you." Asami's thumb slid upwards, pushing back Korra's hood and settling on the head of her clit. Tired she might have been, but Korra was already pulsing around her mate's digits. Asami was just too enticing for fatigue to count for much, and she bent down, kissing the omega's breasts while she was fingered.

The taste of Asami's soft skin, along with the way her mate gasped when her nipples were licked, was enough to make Korra's clit pulse even harder than before. Whatever form her body was in, using it to bring pleasure to Asami always heightened her own. Even though her cock had retracted after her first orgasm, she was still so sensitized that a second peak wasn't far away. There was nothing to do but enjoy the feelings and so Korra let her body push as greedily as it wanted against Asami's touches, taking everything that her mate had to give.

Slow strokes were becoming more rapid, and soon enough, Asami seemed to notice the pressure building in her sex. "I can feel it, Korra," her mate whispered into her ear, her breath deliciously hot. "Feel how tight you are. How much you want to come. Go on. Spill all over my hand."

Every sentence was punctuated with a fresh stroke of her thumb against Korra's clit, and as the last one ended, the pressure became overwhelming. The alpha buried her face in Asami's chest, though the flesh was unable to drown out her cries of pleasure. She spasmed hard in her mate's arms, jolts of bliss spreading out from her sex to her every corner of her body. She gave Asami everything she had until the omega's fingers were left coated with her release and yet another portion of the sheets was damp beneath them.

Her climax also left something else behind. By the time Korra had stopped shaking with her pleasure, her clit had extended back out to its full length, her cock now jutting proudly out against Asami's belly. "I thought you were tired," Asami said, examining the new development with considerable interest.

She wasn't the only one who was intrigued. Once, being taken like that, even if it brought her pleasure, would've made her inner alpha to retreat enough to make such a shift impossible. Not anymore, it seemed. "I was," Korra agreed brightly. "But you might have noticed you have this effect on me…"

Asami ran her fingers along the newly-formed erection, teasing the sensitive skin. "I have. And I love that. I love _you_ , Avatar Korra."

"I love you too, Asami Sato." She leaned in close, kissing first her mate's cheek, and then her lips. "And I'm planning on spending the rest of my life proving it to you."

"Starting with right now?" Asami asked suggestively, brushing her thumb over the head of Korra's cock.

"Oh, yes," she agreed, wrapping Asami up in her arms and kissing her face. "Right now and always."

* * *

 **And that's the end of In Victory and Defeat. Thank you for reading, and I hope you liked it. I certainly had a lot of fun writing this one.**


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